Screen cap from Xavier Beauvais' "Of Gods and Men," a beautiful and meditative masterpieces on the strength of faith
by Sam Juliano
As I write the newest installment in the Monday Morning Diary guests are arriving at our 7 Spruce Street abode for this evening’s Academy Awards festivities. As a result I will limit the scope of the post, as I will be spending several hours and watching the show and intermingling with the Oscar watchers. Jason Giampietro has his video camera in action, and I’m sure this year’s presentation will be a hoot.
I would like to thank our dear friend Dee Dee for the tireless work she has done for this site on the sidebar through the entire Oscar campaign, and for embellishing all the posts with polls, you tube clips all kinds of Oscar-related tidbits. A simple thank you is not enough of course is insufficient, and the work she has done here goes beyond the call of duty by a long distance. You are a beautiful person my friend. Many thanks to Pierre de Plume and Jaime Grijalba for their exceptional Oscar pieces posted at the site. I would also like to thank Dee Dee for her recent generous package, and the same goes out to Bobby Josson in the UK for his gift of the first season of Sgt. Bilko/The Phil Silvers DVD set sent to me from amazon.uk at his expense and behest. Finally, to that amazing gentleman in Karnataka, Srikanth Srinivasan, thanks for your package and continuing kindness and enthusiasm. You are a class act my friend.
Maurizio Roca’s terrific film noir countdown is really kicking in, and the Brooklyn noirist has already pulled off some surprises. His writing too just gets better and better. Thanks as well to Jamie Uhler and Bob and Jim Clark for their excellent work with their usual areas of expertise.
I saw six films in theatres this week – four new releases and two classics:
Of Gods and Men ***** (Saturday night) Landmark Cinemas
Heartbeats *** (Saturday night) IFC Film Center
Carancho *** 1/2 (Thursday night) Angelika Film Center
Even the Rain *** (Thursday night) Angelika Film Center
To Have and To Have Not **** (Friday night) Jersey City Loews
The Big Sleep ***** (Saturday afternoon) Jersey City Loews
EVEN THE RAIN was turgid stuff, CARANCHO reasonably engaging, HEARTBEATS, an exercise of style over substance, and OF GODS AND MEN a beautiful and meditative essay on the strength of faith, mortality and the inevitability of death. This ravishingly-photographed masterpiece of the cinema is one of the cinema’s greatest exploration of these themes ever made, and it sets the bar (with last week’s POETRY) among the year’s greatest achievements. I plan to discuss the two Hawks films at a later date, but seeing them on the huge Loews screen was a special thrill.
Most of the links are carry overs from last week, due to the Oscar party and the awards show on Sunday, but I’ve changed a few:
Tony d’Ambra’s stupendous review of Fritz Lang’s Fury sits with his recently gathered Lang reviews at FilmsNoir.net, in acknowledgement of the Film Forum’s recent festival on the director’s Hollywood films: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/fury-1936-on-the-threshold-of-noir.html
John Greco’s prolific run at Twenty Four Frames continues with a stellar appraisal of Nicholas Ray’s Bigger Than Life: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/bigger-than-life-1956-nicholas-ray/
Judy Geater has penned a wonderful review on the 1932 classic Grand Hotel at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/grand-hotel-edmund-goulding-1932/
Ed Howard’s prolific run at Only the Cinema has resulted in some spectacular review on noir and Iranian cinema. His latest is another gem on Mildred Pierce (1945): http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/mildred-pierce-1945.html
Some of the best and most intricate work being done out there is being orchestrated by our friend in Tokyo, Murderous Ink, whose continuing examination of one of the cinema’s greatest masterpieces, Ozu’s There Was A Father is one of the most brilliant projects ever attempted in the blogosphere. The results this far at Vermillion and One Nights are stunning: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2011/02/analysis-of-there-was-father-010600.html
Samuel Wilson again has penned a superlative review, this time on the little -seen A Bullet For Sandoval at Mondo 70: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2011/02/bullet-for-sandoval-los-desperados-1969.html
At Exodus: 8:2 Jamie Grijalba is doing his own version of ‘Countdown to the Oscars’ with a consideration of the films up for the Best Picture prize. Heading up right now is a great essay on Winter’s Bone: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/02/10-winters-bone-2010.html
Unadulterated joy reigns on Mayne Island today as our wonderful friend and artist extraordinaire has announced she’s a grandmother again with the birth of a boy to her daughter Josie. The priceless photos are on display at the Creativepotager’s blog: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/baby-o-has-arrived/
Jason Marshall has named Jean Gabin ‘Best Actor’ of 1938 at Movies Over Matter for the latest entry in his fabulous ongoing series in cinema history: http://moviesovermatter.com/2011/02/12/michel-simon-quai-des-brumes-best-supporting-actor-of-1938/
At SmiledYawnedNodded, Longman Oz has a lot of new films reviews up, topped by an excellent piece on Isztambul: http://smiledyawnednodded.com/2011/02/28/isztambul/
Just Another Film Buff has posted a final contribution to Sheila O’Malley’s Iranian blogothon with a terrific interview of Jafar Panahi on The Circle at The Seventh Art: http://theseventhart.info/2011/02/27/jafar-panahi-on-the-circle/
Pat’s latest post is a discussion of this evening’s Academy Awards: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2011/02/oscars-2011-good-bad-overlooked-and_3290.html
Filmmaker and movie lover Jeffrey Goodman has posted the eighth installment of his ‘movie quartet’ series at The Last Lullaby: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2011/02/favorite-four-part-eight.html
At Speaking from the Heart Laurie Buchanan has posted ‘Master Number 33’ in her very great series: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/master-number-33/
Garden State author extraordinaire David Schleicher has written up a superlative and effusively favorable review on Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu’s Biutiful at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2011/02/07/its-not-a-grave-its-a-niche/
At Cinemascope, Shubhajit goes noir too, with his excellent capsule on Fritz Lang’s Scarlet Street: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2011/02/scarlet-street-1945.html
If a blogosphere award were to be given out for Most Consistently Creative posts, the winner would hands down be Stephen Russell-Gebbett, who never fails to intrigued and engage every time out. His most recent post at Checking on my Sausages is “A Cinema is a Cave”: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2011/02/cinema-is-cave.html
At Scribbles and Ramblings, Sachin has authored a marvelous essay on Bollywood favorite Delhi Story: (since updated to Mumbai Diaries)http://likhna.blogspot.com/2011/02/delhi-story.html
At Living in Cinema Craig Kennedy is headlining with the Watercooler, where he discusses the expected dominance of The King’s Speech at last evening’s British BAFTA awards: http://livingincinema.com/2011/02/13/watercooler-the-baftas/
Marilyn Ferdinand has written a fantastic review on Ken Russell’s 1965 television film on French expressionist composer extraordinaire Clude Debussy at Ferdy-on-Films, where the Film Preservation Fundraiser is now officially underway, with a plethora of comments/donations and glowing attention from all over: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=8334
At This Island Rod, Mr. Heath gives the ‘Deluxe” treatment to Piranha (1978): http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2011/02/piranha-1978.html
Kevin Olson has posted his ‘Year in Review’ for 2010. It’s a grand post indeed at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/year-in-review-images-from-my-favorite.html
Troy Olson has authored a brilliant entry in his Robert Bresson series at Elusive as Robert Denby: The Life and Times of Troy with a scholarly treatment of Les Anges du Peche: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2011/01/robert-bresson-les-anges-du-peche.html
Dee Dee at Darkness Into Light is also back, though she never really left, with a dazzling post appraising the Castro Film Festival, the Fundraiser blogothons at Ferdy-on-Films and Cinema Styles and the just-launched Fritz Lang Festival at the Film Forum. Her rotating newspaper is a gem!http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2011/01/extra-extrataking-look-at-twelve-films.html
Kaleem Hasan has some Hindi love songs up at Satyamshot to celebrate Valentine’s Day: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/happy-valentines-day-love-songs-hindi/
At Visions of Non-Fiction Dave Van Poppel presents his Top Ten Films of 2010 with some stellar capsule write-ups: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2011/02/top-ten-of-2010.html
Drew McIntosh has a magnificent screen cap display up at The Blue Vial, in his ongoing “Five from a Favorite” series on Soderbergh’s The Underneath: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-from-favorite-underneath-steven.html
The ever-magnanimous and energetic Michael Harford has sparked some point interest at the Coffee Messiah blogsite with his look at ‘English al Jazeera’: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2011/01/english-al-jazeera.html
J. D. has the goods on a new blogothon on Michael Mann at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2011/02/michael-mann-blogathon-keep.html
Matthew Lucas has written a brilliantly perceptive and effusively enthusiastic assessment of the Korean masterpiece Poetry at From the Front Row: http://fromthefrontrow.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-poetry.html
Enter the Void fans should run (and don’t walk) over to the Film Doctor’s place for his exceptionally written essay on the film: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2011/02/is-afterlife-inane-and-other-questions.html
Daniel Getahun of Getafilm enthusiastically speaks of the upcoming ‘Muriel Awards’ at his place: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2011/02/coming-soonmuriel-50.html
Greg Ferrara at Cinema Styles has officially announced the launching of For the Love of Film ‘Noir’ Blogothon, commencing today, Valentine’s Day: http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com/2011/02/for-love-of-film-noir-blogathon-starts.html
Anu, at The Confidential Report has posted a spectacular Top 10 list that again shows why and how he’s an ultimate cineaste: –2010/http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/top-ten-of\
Jon Lanthier offers up a penetrating capsule from his Slant Magazine review of Johnny Mad Dog, a French-Liberian look at excessive violence and children toting guns and terrorizing natives in this thinly-veiled but still ambiguous polemic. It’s over at Aspiring Sellout: http://aspiringsellout.com/2011/01/johnny-mad-dog-2008/
At Little Worlds Hokahey glowingly speaks and references Jules Verne, and a school production he’s directing: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-birthday-jules.html
Tony Dayoub has a stellar blu-ray review of Alice in Wonderland up at Cinema Viewfinder: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2011/02/blu-ray-review-alice-in-wonderland-1951.html
“Conversations” co-author Jason Bellamy celebrates his three-year anniversary at The Cooler: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/celebrating-three-years-of-cooler.html
In her new post “Jeopardy Girl, Cake Decorator,” our girl provides a ‘practical’ approach to cupcake making that bears her singular mark: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/cakedecorator/
At Velvety Blackness, Jean has penned an extraordinary review on Zulawski’s Diabel that’s a must-read for all serious cineastes: http://velvetyblackness.blogspot.com/2011/02/diabel.html
R.D. Finch at The Movie Projector has penned an exceptional review on the French film The Taste of Others: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2011/02/taste-of-others-2000.html
Ryan Kelly has posted a uniquely fascinating ‘Best Movies of 2010′ list at Medfly Quarantine: http://medflyquarantine.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-2010-movies.html
Adam Zanzie is reporting with passion and precision at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah! The young man is having the time of his life!: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/
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Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
Well Sam, here you are having an Oscars party and I am watching the Oscars via online streaming with Sky Movies. It is maybe the third time I have watched the Oscars. Such is life for a person who has rarely had television. But with these kinds of events now available live online – it is a whole new world for me.
Is it absolutely unacceptable to say I didn’t like the Oscars as a show? All the dress changes – now really, was that useful or necessary?
What I did appreciate is the talent and commitment to film by all involved in the industry. This is creativity at its best. Nice way to revisit some of my favourite films of the year.
WINTER’S BONE is still my personal winner;)
Thanks for announcing Baby O who is already a whole week old. Always appreciate connecting. All the best of the evening to you Sam and the week ahead!
Oh! I forgot to share my list of favourite watches for the past TWO weeks (new grandbabies do interfere with posting comments). It is a eclectic bunch so I hope readers enjoy the variety.
MY BEST FIEND (1999) Directed by Werner Herzog as he examines his creative relationship Klaus Kinski. A stunning documentary about the brilliance and dangers of stretching the thin thread between creative genius and insanity.
BOUND FOR GLORY (1976) Directed by Hal Ashby Pressingly authentic in its biography of Woodie Guthrie and the great depression. A perfect film to watch if your creative or activist muse is faltering.
TRULY, MADLY DEEPLY (1990) Directed by Anthony Minghella Lovely haunting exploration about love, grief and recovering from loss. The success of this film is its ability to externalize the internal world of grieving with heart wrenching humour.
ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) Directed by Frank Capra. This is a classic that I had never seen. My sweetheart suggested we watch it for our Valentine’s Day evening. A perfect choice. Superb storytelling. No actor does this better than that of James Stewart. He only has to begin to speak and I settle in for what I know will be a quality yarn.
RAN (1985) Directed by Akira Kurosawa. A “must see” for any movie enthusiast – even though there are no virtuous characters left standing by the end of the film as the blind young man is not likely to be rescued and I expect plunges to his death. Such is living. I haven’t met any perfect humans with perfect lives yet and Kurosawa reminds us of this truth and the destructiveness of greed and drive for power.
Teriil, those disastisfied sentiments are most welcome here, as the Oscars are never to be taken seriously, even though the show’s nomination process gives many the discipline to persue the past year’s movie crop with some kind of a list of distinguished releases. As I stated on other threads, it’s fun, but in a guilty pleasure sort of way. I know you are a huge fan of WINTER’S BONE, and I can’t say I blame you, as it’s an exceptionally made film.
Your capsule round-up here is stupendous, and I must say you have really put your nose to the grindstone as of late with quality movie watching. Of course, the final two here (IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE and RAN) are among the greatest films ever made, and I can only fathom the excitement the first viewing of the Capra generated with David! The ultimate ‘feel good’ movie and the movie symbol of Americana, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE has been a holiday favorite for decades, and there are some who even prefer it to the director’s revered MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. I completely agree with you Terrill on Jimmy Stewart, an American treasure who did yeoman work for Capra, Hitchcock and Mann. Based on Shakespeare’s KING LEAR, RAN is a ferocious epic film that certainly raises the bar for the Bard on screen, but I couldn’t agree with you more when you point on the themes of greed and the drive for power.
MY BEST FIEND has always been one of my favorite docs, and it does brilliantly expound on that fascinating relationship. Again methinks you’ve nailed it, citing that line between creative genius and insanity. But of course that’s what always made Kinski fascinating, and for my money Herzog is an eternal winner.
Great point about BOUND FOR GLORY inspiring creative awakening (I have always liked the film) and good explanation of the dicotemy in the Minghella film.
Spectacular submission here Terrill. I can’t say how much I appreciate it!!!!!!
My Oscar thoughts have just been posted on my site so there’s no need to post them here. It is wonderful to hear the same enthusiasm for two of the strongest (and my favorite) foreign films of last year: Poetry and Of Gods and Men. Both films deliver such a powerful emotional punch yet do it through subtle film-making. The fact that neither got a nomination for the Foreign Film Academy Award says a lot about how much the Academy REALLY knows of films. I share the same enthusiasm for the films as you do Sam and the crazy part is that they weren’t even the best foreign films I saw last year. I can’t wait to see how My Joy, Tuesday After Christmas and Uncle Boonmee fair with critics and you when they get their official release in the States.
Anu, I read your delightfully critical assessment of the Oscar show, and I commented, with much of what I said in complete agreement. I guess the only mild disagreement was how much we liked THE KING’S SPEECH. (I had it in my Top 10 of the year, so I guess that answers that) But where I agree with you especially is the foolish sequential change of the Director’s prize, and stage elimination of the honorary awards.
For those reading along, here’s Anu’s excellent re-cap of the Oscar show:
http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/oscar-in-review/
I am actually in one sense happy I use USA theatrical release dates to make my year-end lists, as the year has now started off with two five-star masterpieces. I have a DVDR copy of UNCLE BOONME, but I have resisted watching it, so I can make good on that late March opening. And I have heard of TO JOY as well. I look forward to TUESDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.
Many thanks Anu!!!
Hope you all had a good time yesterday evening and that costume changes chez Juliano, at least, were limited to drink spillages & food stains! The event generally passes me by, but I was bemused to see EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP down as a documentary film earlier on. Either they do not get the joke or I have completely misread this as being an entirely prank work!
OF GODS & MEN is an exceptional & moving film. Was very quiet for a time after seeing it. As I am about as religious as boiled cabbage, it is a work for me about humanity, doubt, courage, & fraternity too. You are quite right about faith, but it is not the blind, foolhardy sort either. Rather it is a faith that requires the holder to suffer his way through to understanding and serenity.
I also saw CARANCHO during the week. The ending was OTT, but I otherwise quite liked its twisted morality and the acting of the central pairing. Elements of THE DEATH OF MR LAZERESCU too about the way in which the hospital standards are shown. A solid & satisfactory follow-up to the equally socially-conscious LIONS’ DEN for my money.
Our international film festival ended this weekend. I saw another dozen films, I guess. Would take too long to mention them all, but there was a fantastic Swedish comedy in SOUND OF NOISE that I utterly recommend and a minamalist and dark German drama in PICCO about real-life occurences inside the country’s youth detention system. Audience left so mute afterwards that they did not clap the director’s presence there, but he did get a proper acknowledgment after the Q&A. Remember similar reactions to HUNGER and THE WHITE RIBBON.
I also saw POETRY. A fine film, for sure. Like MOTHER and the re-make of THE HOUSEMAID, it really has something unpleasant to say about morality, justice, equality, and respect for others in modern-day South Korean society.
Finally, the surprise film (i.e. you buy a ticket without knowing what the film will be) turned out to be CEDAR RAPIDS. And, yes, it was a scream. Usually I like something far darker and more subtle, but the performances here are brillant and the whole thing is fast-paced and infectious.
Yes Longman, we did get some food stains on the downstairs couch, but the guests made the gathering worthwhile even if that dire show most assuredly did not. I was never much of a fan of GIFT SHOP, though stateside it was exceedingly well-reviewed. I’m with you, I think they missed the joke.
Your paragraph capsule there on OF GODS AND MEN is wholly superlative, methinks, and you’ve nailed all the themes as I see them. When I walked out of the Landmark Cinemas I felt I was in the thrall of true spiritual greatness, and I’m not really religious, even if my kids are being brought up receiving all the Catholic sacraments. Both POETRY and OF GODS AND MEN will be very difficult films to better this year.
I preferred LION’S DEN to CARANCHO, but I understand where you are coming from, and appreciate the reference to THE DEATH OF MR. LAZARESCU. The film (CARANCHO) was indeed very well-acted.
I’m utterly delighted at your responses to CEDAR RAPIDS and POETRY. It’s great you found the former a hoot (so we have a similar sense of humor there) and you frame the latter beautifully.
I have seen your torrid activity at the Dublin Festival in posts at your site, but that’s great news about those two! Perhaps they’ll appear stateside.
Thanks my very good friend for this sensational and engaging wrap!
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan and WitD readers…
Sam Juliano,
Thanks, for the very kind acknowledgement and words…not only toward me…but your fellow bloggers too!…Now, let me take a look at what you, watched this week:
It appears as if there isn’t a “weak” film in the link…The two latter films (Film noir) are just classics…Thanks, for sharing what you viewed this week with your readers…[I would be remissed if I didn’t mention the video (What a very nice video!) that you, Dennis and Jason Giampietro, shared with your readers and fellow bloggers…as usual!
Sam Juliano, I don’t have too much to report…because I haven’t been watching too many films…I just added “The Old Dark House” and “He Walk By Night” [By the way, I mentioned this film on my administrator’s Ning…Now, he plans to pick-up a copy too!] to my cart…[on the recommendation by fellow bloggers…I have been checking-out hard-boiled book titles…after hanging-out with the literary types!]
I guess I can say…that’s a wrap!…Oops! I almost forgot to mention that the For The Love Of Film Noir Contest begins this week…with ever so “slight” changes.
DeeDee 😉
Dee Dee: Thanks very much for everything and your appearance here is always a treat. I saw your sidebar work unfold each and every day during the entire Oscar campaign, as well of course the tireless work you did for the Film Noir Fundraiser and blogothon. Your work is frankly an inspiration to me (and many others) and your effervescence is something that keeps things rolling along with the best attitudes. You have given so much of your time, energy and enthusiasm and I am humbled by your selflessness. I can go on and on, and never really express the way I feel. Although one can’t see all their friends on-line, you are one person who I feel I must see at some point. Lucille feels the same way, as you have been so kind to her. You are incomparable my friend.
Yes, there wasn’t a week link as you note this past week, though I wasn’t all that impressed with EVEN THE RAIN, which became overbearing after a while. And HEARTBEATS was all style and no substance. But seeing the staggering masterpiece OF GODS AND MEN made the week, even apart from those two noir landmarks. (Of course I like THE BIG SLEEP more than TO HAVE AND TO HAVE NOT).
I am not surprised you haven’t have much time to watch movies as of late, as you’ve been so busy on all these other fronts, and the work you have done for Wonders in the Dark is like a full-time job. Please take HE WALKED BY NIGHT out of your cart immediately. I will handle that situation tonight. In fact Dee Dee, take THE OLD DARK HOUSE off too, I will do what has to be done tonight as well.
When you get a chance, my friend, fill me in further on that For the Love of Film Noir Contest.
Thanks a million as always my very dear friend for everything!
Sam,
Thanks again for the shout out. Hope your Oscar party was a lot of fun. It had to be better than the show itself. No surprise winners not even in the supporting categories where the upsets generally happen. And James Franco should stick to his day job, he constantly looked stiff and like he was somewhere else. Hathaway was cute. The Bogart films must have been a definite blast to see on the big screen! I remember doing that back in the days.
My own week consisted of us having the house painted and then my wife unfortunately came down with a touch of the flu from which she is still recuperating. I did manage to squeeze in three films this week.
No Orchids for Miss Blandish (***1/2) Well to do rich daughter of a millionaire is kidnapped and falls in love with her gangster captive in this surprisingly violent and sexual film from 1948. Well paced though the accents are a mixed bag. More to be said in an upcoming review.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones (****) – Strictly a concert film but a great one with the Stones sounding better than they do in any other film. This does not have the dramatic intensity of “Gimme Shelter,” released a few years earlier, nor does it have a great director like Scorsese but the group rocks the stage with one classic after another including tunes from their then recently released album, “Exile on Main Street.” Don’t expect any pyrotechnics or anyone popping out of an egg (if you watched the Grammy’s you know what I am talking about), it’s strictly straight ass kicking rock and roll. The film has rarely been seen in the past 35 years except for grainy bootlegs with poor sound so it is great to see this released finally.
Horse Feathers (****1/2) another great Marx Brother film, I only wish Margaret Dumont was in the cast. Other than that, this funny satirical attack on higher education is a blast. Groucho and Harpo lead the way in the laugh department. Thelma Todd is a comical femme fatale, and the great character Nat Pendleton is one of the professional football ringers for the opposing team. Groucho opens the film with his classic “Whatever It Is, I’m Against It” and it only gets better from there.
I can’t say I disagree with a single point you make about the Oscar show John, and like just about everyone I was dosappointed with all the favorites bringing home the bacon. There were some “upsets” in the minors, like the loss of Roger Deakins, but everything went pretty much as advertized.
I didn’t get to see all three Bogie-Bacall films, as I missed DARK PASSAGE to see those other films in Manhattan. But I did see the two most important ones with THE BIG SLEEP and TO HAVE AND TO HAVE NOT.
Sometimes John, I consider HORSE FEATHERS my favorite Marx Brothers film, and I agree with that spirited capsule! The humor there is timeless. I’d love to read a review from you on NO ORCHIDS, a film I managed to see 18 months ago at that Brit Noir Festival. Excellent point there about the accents.
I don’t recall that Rolling Stones film though, but greatly enjoyed the capsule appraisal. I would feel even more guilty as a big Stones fan if it were not for your subsequent concession here that the film has been exceedingly hard to find. But as we just had SHINE THE LIGHT (Scorsese) we know what an electrifying act these guys are and always have been!
Tremendous wrap as always my very good friend!
Sam, thanks so much for the wonderful mention.
I look forward to hearing more about the Hawks films on the big screen and the new Xavier Beauvois. He’s a French director I’ve always considered very interesting.
This week I saw THE POOL, TWO IN THE WAVE, THE LONG GRAY LINE, LUST FOR LIFE, and CRIME WAVE. A diverse lot with probably Douglas’ performance as Van Gogh affecting me the most.
Here’s to another awesome week, Sam. Thanks for all your incredible work!
Hey Jeffrey! Both Hawks films were introduced by a guest speaker, who then moderated the Q & A after both TO HAVE AND TO HAVE NOT and THE BIG SLEEP. He engagingly documented the relationship between Hawks and Hemingway, and how the director told the writer he wanted to film the ‘worst’ book Hemingway had ever written. The rest, they say, is history. THE BIG SLEEP looked terrific on that huge Jersey City Loews screen, and again, there was a fine discussion afterwards. Of course the film is as cryptic as it ever was, but riveting.
I can’t wait to hear what you say about Beauvois’s film, but I certainly can take a fair guess.!
I loved THE POOL most of the ones you saw, but I couldn’t agree with you more on Douglas’s performance and LUST FOR LIFE.
Another great week my friend, and many thanks for the spirited words!
LUST FOR LIFE houses a truly great performance by Kirk Douglas but, for my money, his very best was the one that fell under the guidance of Stanley Kubrick in the shattering anti-war film PATHS OF GLORY…
Yep Dennis, Douglas was stupendous in the Kubrick film, I can’t argue that!
Easily one of the best paced and well staged Oscar shows in memory (I loved that it ended almost an hour earlier than previous telecasts), all the positives of the telecast were ruined by a completely predictable and pretentiously “safe” roster of winners.
Nowhere last night was there an element of surprise and the Academy, once again, slipped the gold statues to recipients that either didn’t deserve it or were “safe” choices.
Melissa Leo was an utter embarassment blasting off the “F” bomb during her acceptance speech for her BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS victory for a performance that was really only just passable leaving the best of the crop (Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT and AMY ADAMS for THE FIGHTER) sitting in their seats looking like a bunch of abandoned prom queens.
Award after award the presentations looked like they took their cue from every prognostication page from every newspaper printed yesterday morning and the parade of predictabilty was almost coma inducing.
The predicted THE KINGS SPEECH walked away wuith the lions share of the big prizes, but can anyone really admit that the film truly deserved the award for BEST DIRECTOR. Film is a visual medium and is made up of a succession of breathtaking images that weave an indelible visual tapestry within the impression of the story being told… However, where I found Tom Hoopers work on KING fine for the story it was telling (really just recording the fine work of the superlative cast), is there anyone out there that can honestly say his direction of that film was as good or even remotely electric as the visual orgasm that David Fincher was creating with THE SOCIAL NETWORK???? C’mon???? David Fincher has been, easily, one of the most visually creative and imaginative directors out there as far back as his debut film ALIEN 3 and his work on THE SOCIAL NETWORK took what could have been stagnant in the hands of any other director and turned it into something thrilling.
And, lets just go one step further, shall we?
THE SOCIAL NETWORK practically swept the critics prizes around the globe. It’s critical success is amazing and really only usurped by the wonderful critical responses of the best reviewed film of 2010 (TOY STORY 3). Is the Academy so stodgy in their want to award something as uplifting and straight-forward as THE KINGS SPEECH that they had to hog up awards it didn’t really deserve? A split between PICTURE and DIRECTOR was, unlike other years (CRASH for PICTURE and Ang Lee for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN for director anyone???), totally warranted if they HAD to absolutely go with KING.
It just irks the living shit out of me when they play favorites so obviously…
Like I said in earlier comments under Pierre de Plumes Oscar posts: I think the Oscars are fun in that it sparks off debate and conversation that ultimately leads to films of artistic merit but, in no way are they right, legitimate or remotely important.
If I was handing out the fucking things this is how it would have worked.
BEST DIRECTOR: David Fincher (THE SOCIAL NETWORK)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Lee Unkrich, John Lassiter, Joe Ranft (TOY STORY 3)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: William Seidler (THE KINGS SPEECH)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Hailee Steinfeld (TRUE GRIT)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Geoffrey Rush (THE KINGS SPEECH)
BEST ACTRESS: Michelle Williams (BLUE VALENTINE)
BEST ACTOR: Colin Firth (THE KINGS SPEECH)
BEST DIRECTOR: David Fincher (THE SOCIAL NETWORK)
BEST PICTURE: THE SOCIAL NETWORK
It seems the Academy should learn to shed its prejudices (like that night they snubbed BROKEBACK), get a little more hip, and finally realize they are living in the 21st century. This years winners were almost as bad as 1994 going to FORREST GUMP (over PULP FICTION or THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION), 2000 going to GLADIATOR, 1976 going to ROCKY (over NETWORK or TAXI DRIVER), 1982 going to GANDHI (over E.T.), 1995 going to BRAVEHEART (over BABE) or 1996 going to THE ENGLISH PATIENT (over FARGO).
It’s almost as if the Academy is afraid to address films that are daring and in the “now”.
Sad, really…
I think you could have picked some far worse examples than those, Dennis. Gandhi, Gladiator and The English Patient are good films. Not great by any means, but far worse decisions have been made.
1942 (Mrs Thiniver), 1989 (Driving Me Crazy), 1952 (The Greatest Show on Earth…if you’re a fucking retard), 1936 (The Not so Great Ziegfeld), 2004 (Million Cent Baby), 2001 (A Far from Beautiful Mind), 2002 (Chica-stop), 1997 (Shitanic), 1941 (How Rose Tinted Was IOirish Valley), I could go on.
I chuckled at Dennis BABE reference. BRAVEHEART is terrible, but I didn’t know anyone valued BABE either.
Jamie, I hear ya, but perhaps the most shocking award ever given out by the prestigious and very fussy National Society of Film Critics was 1995, when they selected BABE as their Best Picture. It was a decision that had many with their mouths open in complete disbelief. That citation of course, was far more telling than the subsequent Best Picture nomination from the Academy. Anyway, go figure.
I’m not too surprised that “Babe” invited serious critical acclaim. What I do find surprising is that it was written and produced (but not directed) by “Mad Max” creator George Miller (he went on to direct the sequel, that nobody cared about, before doing that CGI animated movie about dancing penguins).
JAMIE-There is nothing to chuckle about. Of the five nominations that year for BEST PICTURE both Sam and I both agreed that BABE was clearly the cream of the crop. The film was a critical darling and garnered some of the ver best reviews of that year. Now, I’m not saying that there weren’t better films than BABE in 1995, it was just that none of them were nominated for BEST PICTURE. I’m only saying that BABE was the best film of the five selected by the Academy for consideration. It’s a delightful, well made and deeply felt film that put a touching spin on the “never judge a book by its cover” theme.
ALLAN-I selected those merely due to the films that they beat for the prize. I agree GANDHI is a good film, but not half as good as E.T. and nobody, at least not here anyway, would argue that FARGO clearly outweighed THE ENGLISH PATIENT by leaps and bounds.
Most of the examples you made I thought were very obvious and the majority would agree to the blunder. I will say, though, that I saw THE GREAT ZIEGFELD on TCM the other night and not only thought it was a pretty good film but also fell in love with the musical numbers in it. I also think you are way too hard on DRIVING MISS DAISY and HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY.
Dennis, this is an excellent and passionate comment, and all I can say is I’m thrilled you’ve seen the light. While I still get some pleasure playing the game every year, I don’t recognize the winners as legitimate in any sense. I don’t necessarily agree with your conclusion of Hooper’s direction and being inferior to Fincher’s but you are more than entitled to express your sentiments here. As far as the last part of your comprehensive submission, I have found in those years that there were a number of foreign language films that eclipsed your alternate choices by quite some distance.
I though people would be more upset with leo, but it seems she got away with it. As far as her performance being unworthy to win, most would disagree, as she won a number of critics’ group prizes. I’ll admit I am no fan of THE FIGHTER.
The show was mercifully shorter than past years, but it was still a bore. As I stated to you by e mail I am sorry I couldn’t make the party due to circumstances beyond my control. I can’t wait for the video footage of the big night.
Thrilled to hear about Of Gods and Men.
Frank, I was hoping you’d make it, but I understood it would be a tight squeeze for you. Next year, for sure my friend, God willing. I can see why you would find the show a bore, what with every majoe prediction coming to pass. As I just said to Laurie, the footage may be ready for next Monday, from what I’m told.
I will be seeing OF GODS AND MEN again on this coming Thursday night in Manhattan, as I’m meeting up with Kaleem. Andrei Scala will probably be going as well.
Many thanks for your tireless support day in and day out my friend!
18 right out of 24.
Not bad, huh?
Yes, you da man! The winner of the pool!!!
Sam – I would have LOVED being a fly on the wall at your house last night as the Oscar festivities got underway. That had to have been a BLAST! You wrote that Jason was there with his video camera – will we get to see a clip at some point?
Speaking of video clips…I really enjoyed watching the clip “Oscar Predictions with Dennis and Sam” – that was great!
As always, thank you for pointing to Speaking from the Heart.
Laurie: Jason and his lovely girlfriend were indeed there and circulating all night. He will be including a web-cam piece recorded in the UK by my site colleague Allan Fish, and there was quite a bi of footage films of many of us as the awards were announced on the telecast. Jason always manages to derive the humor for the show, and I know this year won’t be different. We all had a lot of fun, I won’t deny it, even if the show has it’s downers. I’m told it will be ready to top next’s week diary on Monday. Thanks again for the astounding support you have given me at this site in every sense imaginable and congratulations on the amazing Life Path series you are completing at SPEAKING FROM THE HEART!
http://holessence.wordpress.com/
Sam,
Welll, it’s all over now – and despite the fact that I incorrectly predicted a Supporting Actress upset by Hailee Steinfeld, I managed to reclaim our annual party’s trophy by a comfortable margin. I thought the ceremony started out promisingly (we found the opening montage laugh-out-loud funny), but went downhill soon after. Hopefully they’ll invite Anne Hathaway back to host again – I have a feeling she’d be a fantastic co-host against the likes of Hugh Jackman, if they can tempt him back – but Franco should hang it up. No real quibbles with THE KING’S SPEECH taking top honors (although as I’ve noted elesewhere, I would have preferred TRUE GRIT), but like others, I was a little stunned to see Tom Hooper take the Best Director award. I was so sure it would be David Fincher.
OF GODS AND MEN sounds intriguing – I’ll be sure to look for that around the arthouses in the area.
I quite agree with you on Franco needed to look for other employment Pat, and I likewise picked the lovely Ms. Steinfeld on my own ballot, where I got 16 of 24 to finish second in our house pool. It seems so mean to nominate a young 14 year old girl (she looked lovely) and then bypass her. And Leo is quite the contrast to say the least! Ha! Congrats on doing so well on your own contest, even with a few misteps. I figured they’d go with Hooper as the director of the Best Picture, but what surprised me was Bale winning. I figured Rush has closed the gap. But the favorites all wound up in the winner’s circle. I agree with you on Anne Hathaway and Jackman. I think I was most surprised Pat, that the great Roger Deakins did not win Best Cinematography for TRUE GRIT, losing out to the work in INCEPTION. I was rather disappointed too with that one.
Thanks so much my very good friend!
Thanks for the shout out Sam!
I, too, watched the Oscars last night and found them to be one of the worst shows I have seen in a while. The awards were predictable, the hosting sub par and there was absolutely no theme tying things together. I could care less about Melissa Leo dropping the F-Bomb – if she had said ‘fudge’ instead, we all would have known what she meant. It’s only a word. But the speeches were mostly a bore save for a few.
Hope all is well and that you are experiencing a good melt with the warmer weather.
I can’t argue with you there Dave, though there was some effective streamlining in the overall length. But without the honorary awards the show lost so much and as you note, mediocre hosting and predictability took it’s toll.
The snow is mostly gone now, with only a few resilient dirty piles around that were formally mountains.
Many thanks my friend!
Sam, I spent Oscar Night watching my first ever Egyptian movie, 1961’s A Man in Our House by the mononymous Barakat. It’s mostly a Nasserite riff on The Diary of Anne Frank with Omar Sharif (in his last film before Lawrence) as a rebel against King Farouk forced to take refuge in another family’s home and causing the inevitable complications, suspenseful and romantic alike. It intrigued me because of the fresh irony of a film celebrating popular revolution with the imprimatur of the regime that has now been itself discredited by the masses, and I’ll most likely have more to say about it later this week.
As readers of my Bullet for Sandoval review will see, I also took a look at Schlondorff’s Michael Kohlhaas, another entry in the late-60s European “history of cruelty” genre. This one features a young David Warner, Anna Karina being trampled by a horse, Czech locations and some of the sensibility of that country’s historical pictures, as well as an eclectic score that turns cynically into guitar rock when Kohlhaas’s rebels sack a town. This one I’ll definitely have more to say about soon.
I also found time for Robert Wise’s Destination Gobi, a colorful WWII adventure that I remember getting frequent airplay on local TV when I was a kid. Seen today, it’s well-executed dumb fun on almost a Terry and the Pirates level, without any dragon ladies. Finally, there was Jacques Tourneur’s Nightfall which comes boxed as a “Film Noir Classic” by Sony but is really an eventually effective thriller with an obvious visual and incidental influence on Fargo. If Maurizio has seen this, he may agree with me that the good guys are just too good to be noir, despite the story’s David Goodis pedigree, but the snowy location work definitely hits the spot.
There were no real surprises to the Oscars, though I had hoped that Fincher might eke out Best Director. I recently saw Social Network a second time and I felt it held up as the best of the competition, not counting the three films I haven’t seen. The impossibility of objective appraisal was really driven home again this year, since King’s Speech has clearly prevailed because it is a “feel good” movie (leaving aside Hollywood’s groveling anglophilia!), and it’s hard to argue against the uplift that people have obviously felt after seeing it. I’m not sure what I can say for Social Network except that it “moved” me in a different yet more potent way, and that Jesse Eisenberg gave the second-best performance of the year — after Edgar Ramirez, that is. Well, what else is new at the Academy Awards? At least a decent film won.
Samuel, if anyone is to check out off-the-radar cinema and some underestimated cinematic offerings (on Oscar night, no less) it’s definitely you. I haven’t seen this Egyptian film, but am intrigued on the Shariff role and the comparison to THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK. I get ya on the irony you express there and I would love to see a review of it at MONDO 70.
I have already read both your reviews on BULLET FOR SANDOVAL and MICHAEL KOHLHASS, and again was enriched by stellar appraisals of films I may not have ever come across even with insatiable cinematic thirst. Schlondorff, of course is a very fine director, whose work I’ve always admired, and I like David Warner. Nice that BULLET is available on a VCI DVD.
Yes, the snowy location work is indeed the aspect of NIGHTFALL that always stayed with me, and I hear ya on that ‘good guys’ disqualification. That Robert Wise film is very minor, but I can concur that it’s ‘dumb fun.’
Ha! That ‘groveling anglophelia’ Samuel has not really manifested itself in many Best Picture wins, despite a number of Brit films making the final cut. But the British monarchy is quite anothe rmatter! Ha! On that, it’s always been an American obsession. So an excellently crafted feel good movie about an English King was unbeatable for this prize. I know you have loved to see Fincher win, and admire your great love for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, a love that is shared by virtually every critics’ group. At least that impressive and progressive score from the film won in a surprise.
Many thanks as always Samuel for the super submission here!
I wanted to come to your Oscar party Sam but had to go to a cousin’s baptism that escaped my mind (I was reminded by my mother on thursday). I did go to my parents home afterwards and watch the show (though my attention wavered often).
Some points from someone that has now only seen his second full telecast.
1. Franco and Hathaway were boring and didn’t bring much to the table.
2. Kirk Douglas was funny but I found the whole sequence to be rather uncomfortable as if the Academy was setting up an old guy to be laughed at.
3. After Roger Deakins lost I knew True Grit was in for a rough evening.
4. Dennis’ cocksure prediction that Benning was going to win and he had the foresight that everyone else lacked didn’t quite pan out.
5. The King’s Speech is a triumph in acting and script writing. On what planet does it also have the best direction!?!? Every other director was more deserving of this award.
6. Who cares that Melissa Leo said fuck. Are there still people out there that would get offended at that?
7. Geoffrey Rush looked like a combination of Dr Evil and George The Animal Steele with his perfectly round bald head.
8. No Banksy equals no fun.
9. More award winners with enormous curly afro like hair cuts need to win.
10. Your super accurate predictions and the fact that knowing who will win can now be boiled down to a science makes the whole show completely trivial. Academy voters should not be allowed to vote anywhere else. An element of surprise is needed in the future.
Not cocksure, just a theory Maurizio, and one of many in a vast field where others have theirs as well.
On a whole though, I have to agree with you on just about every point you made and I wrote and enormous comment above basically asking the same question about the directors category.
While Hooper’s direction was steady and assured, he lacked the creative ingenuity and the ballsy artistry that guys like Fincher, Aronofski and the Coen’s brought to the table.
Yes, nobody cares about a work like “FUCK” these days, but considering the selfish lengths that Leo implied to buy the attention of the Academy to win, the use of the word made her look even cheaper than one would have expected from a recipient that saw a dream come true. Frankly, she did not deserve to win this award and she came off as a person buffaloing everyone in her path like an older toddler trying to hog every toy in the sandbox from the more sensitive kids out there wanting to play by the rules. Actually, anyone in that particular field would have been a better choice and Steinfeld really was the BEST choice.
I too don’t understand how Wally Phister took the coinematography prize. INCEPTION was a marvel in many of the technical fields (sound, art-direction and special effects were nominations I thought all were justified), but the photography was really not in the same department as Deakins lush, hot and nostalgiac shutter play for TRUE GRIT.
Franco looked like he was on another planet and why not? The man was nominated for BEST ACTOR of the year and about as close as anyone could possibly be to winning the biggest prize of their life, to say his interests were other places other than trying make funny, change costumes and maintain an orderly aura is the biggest understatement of the night. The standing ovation for Billy Crystal should reming the Academy what kind of host is needed to corral an event like this.
Finally, if these things are beyond being pecked off by ammateur prognosticators, then I say go back to five nominations and actually nominate foreign, independent and animated films along with the real cream of the crop from the mainstream and you’ll have competition and an event that really means something in the end. The Oscars are nothing, if anything, other than an amusing side-bar that allows US to focus on the great films that are often snubbed.
And I also agree with you that it was dirty pool to bring 90 year old Kirk Douglas to the podium for the presentation of BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS. I’m sure Kirk saw it as a way to grab some spot as he withers away and becomes more and more completely unable to work in the same capacity as he used to, but it boggles my mind that someone like his son didn’t have the foresight to protect his father from what amounted as a stunt that USED his old man’s feebleness to the benefit creating waht only ammounts to silly diversion for a cheap thrill for a night that was anything but thrilling. Frankly, his presence as presenter was just embarrassing and I kept thinking that he was dangerously close to falling over and injuring himself as he struggled to balance himself when he offered up his supportive cane so he could wrestle the envelope that gave so many a hard time opening.
God Dennis I said the same thing while Kirk Douglas was doing his thing…. where is his son. I would not want my father up there acting like that to give viewers and attendees a source of amusement and laughs. The man is a legend and doesn’t deserve less than total respect. The segment wasn’t a disaster, but you could feel that things could of went worse at a moment’s notice.
I agree that Melissa Leo should not have won. A few other nominees were more deserving. Of course this is my opinion and I could make similar remarks towards almost every winner. The bottom line is that the Oscars seemed to reward showy, over the top performances this year in the acting categories. I’m not sure this is always the case (though the crack I’ve heard through the years that they always reward performances that include a handicap or some physical ailment seems to have also played out again). One guy with a stutter, a schizophrenic, and two ghastly displays of scenery chewing and mugging means that subtleness is perhaps not the most intelligent choice in trying to acquire a statue.
“I’m not sure this is always the case (though the crack I’ve heard through the years that they always reward performances that include a handicap or some physical ailment seems to have also played out again).”
And real-life figures too! They are obsessed with awarding those kind of performances.
Maurizio, I was indeed holding out hope that you’d show, and was actually going to let you know that I’d even pick you up in Manhattan and drive you into New Jersey (and then back) but I didn’t want to be pushy. There’s always next year, and hopefully we’ll make it happen. I’m not at all surprised the show came in and out of focus with you.
I can’t say I disagree with you on a single point you make here (some are very funny! Ha!) except for Number 5. It is always perceived that a director is responsible for orchestrating elements like acting and script to make the finished product. I believe Hooper is as responsible for the film’s success as was Firth, Rush or anyone else. I’ll admit there was nothing flashy here, but it was all nearly flawless in control.
Thanks for this fabulous recap!
Thanks Sam for the mention.
You seem to have had a pretty good film viewing week. None of the films you watched, I see, have you rated below 3 – that’s one hell of a strike rate! And yeah, watching the videos that you’d posted, I sure can guage the kind of Oscar frenzy that has gripped you.
I watched a couple of films – Blade Runner (wow, what a film!), Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (a good German Nazi-era film), and Jiri Menzel’s Cutting It Short (the review of which I posted earlier today).
Interestingly, this happens to be the last week for our senior batch before they complete their postgraduation. So, as you can understand, this is turning out to be a happy as well a sad week for all. And this will culminate with a grand farewell party thay we’ve planned for them this Friday.
Also, cricket fever has gripped India like rarely before, courtesy the ongoing cricket world cup. And this mania, incidentally or accidentally, hasn’t spared yours truly either 🙂
Shubhajit: I wasn’t too thrilled with EVEN THE RAIN, even though I went with that 3/5, but yes, I had a great week, fueled by the masterpiece OF GODS AND MEN, and the classic Hawks THE BIG SLEEP.
BLADE RUNNER? Well, my fondest recollection of this film was that it made a nationwide run in a new print a few years ago, and none other than Allan Fish himself accompanied me to a Manhattan theatre to see it. Of course it’s one of the best designed science fiction films ever, and I hope you’ll be reviewing it at CINEMASCOPE. I will be checking out that Menzel review too. And yes, SOPHIE SCHOLL is a gripping interogation film, though of course heartbreaking in the end.
Yep, the senior departure is melancholic, and I hope you can keep your mind on the cricket fever you just admitted has taken hold of you and the country in general.
Many thanks my very good friend!
I don’t buy into some of the excuses for not attending your Oscar Night Party. Your good wife Lucille worked her tail off getting the goodies together and keeping her sanity intact (as far as I could tell during the preparations). It’s nice to see that Denise Parlor Phony would have given two best director awards to David Fincher for the Social Disease (Denise must really love Mr. F). I too am a fan of Fincher’s but I would have either split the awards (Best Picture and Best Director) between two of the Hollywood publicity hacks, or given both Best Picture and Best Director to one of them…but hey what do I know? I was the one who didn’t think much of Barton Fink when it first came out and had my mental capacities questioned by Taxi Driver Denise. I’m a wannabe songwriter not a wannabe film critic.
Sorry Sam but that large tumbler of Johnny Walker Black that I got from Louie on top of the Xanax clobbered me like Cinderella Man clobbered Max Baer. I haven’t been drinking for the past few years so it hit me like a ton of bricks and I could hardly keep my eyes open. That’s why I left so abruptly at about 11:00. I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t fall asleep at the wheel like Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Vacation and possibly do some damage like Boris Karloff in The Bride Of Frankenstein.
Anyways I find the Oscar show to be almost as vulgar and narcissistic and artistically relevant as the Miss America Pageant… but as officer Dowd says in one of the courtroom scenes in “Bananas”: “…I don’t want to cast no aspersions.”
“I could hardly keep my eyes open. That’s why I left so abruptly at about 11:00. I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t fall asleep at the wheel like Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Vacation and possibly do some damage like Boris Karloff in The Bride Of Frankenstein.
Anyways I find the Oscar show to be almost as vulgar and narcissistic and artistically relevant as the Miss America Pageant… but as officer Dowd says in one of the courtroom scenes in “Bananas”: “…I don’t want to cast no aspersions.””
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
classic stuff.
Thanks a ton for the mention Sam! It was a tiring effort and I’m glad it’s done, my blog was (and still is) an Oscar zone, and I’m quite proud of all the time I went into these reviews. I expect they get read and commented on by my people, but I’m still happy with it. Now, I’m writing the Sam Flick Pick and next I’ll post the Frank Awards.
You had quite a week and an Oscar Party. Regarding your watching schedule, I’ve seen Carancho, and I thought it was ****, as I told you earlier, because it was quite well acted and I was interested enough. About the rest I want to see “To Have and Have Not” and “The Big Sleep”, which I’ve actually seen the first half hour and looked good.
About my week, I just watched the Oscars at my cousin’s house, she has cable and it’s way more enjoyable that way. I tweeted around at @jaimegrijalba and I went 16 for 24, I think, not the best, but not the worst either. Who won your poll at the party? I also went out with my girl to eat one day.
Oh, and most important, I was away Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I went to a country house at Curacaví, which is still in my region (you would call it ‘state’), but still it’s quite a relaxing place. Some friends and me and we just swimmed, watched some films and joked around, they drank (I don’t). It was a fun time.
My week, movie wise:
– Back to the Future (1985, Robert Zemeckis) ***** Masterpiece classic, and still so entertaining. I saw this the day of the Oscars, waiting for them, it was playing on cable, so it was a good thing. And then they referenced it in the opening sketch. Awesome!
– Gnomeo & Juliet (2011, Kelly Asbury) ***1/2 It was better than expected. But it’s not that good either.
– Gone Baby Gone (2007, Ben Affleck) ***** The first time I watched this film my heart was so heavy and I felt that the film was so good that I had to watch it again. This is the second time I’ve seen it, and this time I paid attention to the shots and it’s just as good.
– Oldboy (2003, Chan-wook Park) ***** I love this film, and watching it with people who hadn’t seen it before is just amazing. Seeing how they slowly realize the twist and how the entire thing was planned is just such a delight. I love Park.
– The White Sheik (1952, Federico Fellini) **** Funny, yet at some times a bit slow. The characters are quite good and you feel the talent flowing in the direction. Good start for this director.
– White Zombie (1932, Victor Halperin) **** Some people find it boring. Some people don’t like the acting. Some people love the atmosphere. I just like it and I saw it with a fine commentary.
Thanks again sam! Have a good week!
Hey Jaimie! I did read your excellent review of the William Castle film, which I agree is not any kind of a great film:
http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/02/sams-flick-picks-9-its-small-world-1950.html
I’ll definitely be looking to see your Frank’s Awards posted!
Yes, a party at my house with about 28 people at it’s height, though only 13 participated in the ‘Oscar Pool’ which is only $5.00. Thus, the winner received just $65.00. I found myself watching and during the lulls running back to the computer room to post some more links to the diary. That’s what happens when there’s a vital show on a Sunday! Ha! Anyway, my older cousin Bobby McCartney (who sometimes comments here at the site) won with 19 of 24 (excellent!) I also had 16 of 24 just like you, but I decided at the last minute to go with two upsets choices, Steinfeld and Rush.
The three-day trip to Curicavi (I did notice you were away from the blog, and good for you!) sounds like a good time to be had, and I salute you for not going off the deep end! Ha! Good too that you got one day out for a meal with your girlfriend!
I liked the acting in CARANCHO very much, and I do remember that four-star rating from you. I went just a half-star less. THE BIG SLEEP is the key Hawks of the two I saw, and one of his true masterpieces, though an exceedingly difficult film. I am certain you will find OF GODS AND MEN brilliant and deeply-moving. You MUST see it, if you can!
All things considered that’s quite a week of viewing!! I agree with you completely on BACK TO THE FUTURE, a film I saw multiple times in the theatre back in the days; I like GONE BABY GONE, though not to the tune of 5 stars (probably 4) and I have never found the magic in OLDBOY (though I know I am in the minority) The 4/5 is fine for that old Lugosi film (WHITE ZOMBIE) and WHITE SHIEK is an underrated Fellini. I also went with 3 1/2 on the modestly charming GNOMEO AND JULIET.
You have had a great week too my friend, and many thanks for the great submission, the excellent Oscar post and the latest flick pick!!!
Thanks so much for the mention, Sam. I haven’t watched many films this week, but did finally see ‘True Grit’ at the cinema – I haven’t seen the John Wayne film so can’t make comparisons, but I thought Hailee Steinfeld was fantastic and should really have been nominated for best actress! A pity she didn’t win for best supporting, but I’m sure she will have more opportunities. I only saw highlights of the Oscars on Sky Living, which were very odd – they included loads of red carpet rubbish but chopped some of the winners’ speeches off halfway through.
Apart from that I saw ‘A Farewell to Arms’ from 1932 starring Gary Cooper, who gives a great performance – but then discovered my DVD is a censored version with ten minutes missing, so have now ordered a copy which will hopefully be complete.
Judy: I didn’t realize that the Region 1 DVD of A FAREWELL TO ARMS was missing ten minutes! I must also check the various versions out as to which one (s) are complete. It’s at least a minor classic, and as you note Cooper gives one of his best performances, and Helen Hayes is lovely. Of course, the source material is one of Hemingway’s finest too.
Judy, you took the words right out of my mouth with Hattie Steinfeld, and her being passed over was the night’s biggest disappointment. You are quite right too: her role was more of a lead than a supporting. I was also surprised they didn’t give Roger Deakins the cinematography Oscar.
And we all need a break from our movie madness, now! Ha!
Many thanks as always Judy for your wonderful wrap!
Thanks very much, Sam – there seem to be loads of different public domain DVDs available of ‘A Farewell to Arms’, but the Image DVD in the US and Dynamic DVD in the UK are both said to be complete – I now have the Dynamic version but haven’t watched it yet!
Sorry, I meant to add that it is sad news about Jane Russell’s passing – I was lucky enough to see ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ on the big screen last year and she was wonderful.
Aye Judy, I remember that trip you had to see it. I wound up heading to the Film Forum several weeks later, and I can certainly corroborate what you observed about Russell.
I see business as usual was on display at 7 Spruce Street on Sunday night. I never made it to the end, even if the show was much shorter than usual. 18 of 24 is pretty good. Nice going Bob!
18 of 24 is indeed a very good showing. Bob concedes he went with every favored choice in the lead categories. Maria, the show ended about 11:30, earlier than usual. Thanks for stopping by my friend.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Sam. I’m really glad that you loved Beauvois’ movie. Now, I hope you get around to seeing the Kaplonoglus and the Omirbaevs on the discs!
Thanks once more and cheers!
Indeed Srikanth, I need to get to those. I appreciate your early enthusiasm for OF GODS AND MEN, and how you correctly tabbed it as right up my proverbial alley. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I’ve ever had in a theatre.
Many thanks my very good friend!
You had me convinced that Rush and Steinfeld would triumph. There now seems to be an annoying predictability to the awards, and they need to find a new host. I guess we can assume Melissa Leo was grandstanding.
Leo really turned off many people, and it did seem like blatent attention-grabbing. The awards were as predictable as they’ve ever been Peter.
I know I went against the grain with those two, but I just couldn’t go with all the favorites.
Thanks for stopping by my friend.
Why, oh, why is everyone being so hard on James Franco? Sure he was a bit stiff, but come on, he was there for eye candy and he certainly fulfilled his job there. The true fault lies with the terrible, stilted writing. Even perky Anne Hathaway couldn’t squeeze a laugh out of some of their bombs. With the exception of the opening montage, nothing really connected and no one was funny. We can’t put it all on Franco!
I also loved “Of Gods and Men” (*****) which I saw over the weekend in a wonderful, nearly sold out theater. I liked “Even the Rain” and “Carancho” a bit more than you, but your critiques are not unfounded. I also saw “Vanishing on Seventh Street” which was pretty terrible (*). My reviews for those movies will go up on my site today.
I just don’t like Franco in general, myself. Found him absolutely insufferable in “127 Hours”, even though I liked Danny Boyle’s direction. Franco gets on my nerves.
Ah well, an already establish antipathy for the man means there wasn’t much he could do one way or the other for you. I disagree about “127 Hours,” but I understand your reaction. There are some actors that rub me the wrong way and it’s hard for them to win me over — like Mel Gibson…
Jason, many thanks and my aplogies for getting here late! I am so smitten with OF GODS AND MEN that I will be seeing it a second time this evening with a site contributor and good friend Kaleem Hasan, who will be heading in from his Scarsdale home to meet me at the Landmark. I have seen and read your review, but haven’t yet commented, as I’m busy writing my own assessment. But yeah, I know you liked CARANCHO and EVEN THE RAIN more. I look forward to your upcomings reviews on these and the takedown of VANISHING (ha!) as well as your contnuing top ten of 1939!
Many thanks my very good friend!
Don’t ever worry about taking a few days to comment or reply. Your generosity and energy are overwhelming and always appreciated.
Sam, thank you for the link. I really do appreciate your mention every week, while I find this site the most enjoyable, insightful and informative, simply the best among film-related sites.
I spent the whole afternoon at Tokyo Film Center today. The Little Known Japanese Cinema Festival has just begun. They had secured enough fund to restore some of the rare Japanese films and the festival showcases some of the best restoration effort. I was lucky to catch “Furusato (故郷, 1937)” by Mansaku Itami and “Sirobara wa Sakedo (白薔薇は咲けど, 1937)”. Mansaku Itami is father of Jyuzo Itami (Tampopo), and known for his naturalistic style. “Furusato” is a gem, with exquisitely beautiful location cinematography by Shigeru Miki. Snow scenes looked more like a film from later years, say, fifties, with really naturalistic feel. I saw three films photographed by Miki recently (Taki no Shiraito, Fighting Soldier and this), and all of them have such a powerful, incredible location cinematography.
Though “Shirobara wa Sakedo”, directed by Akira Fushimizu, is a typical vehicle for the popular actress Takako Irie, I was quite impressed. It was a bit like “Lonesome” by Paul Fejos, a story of two lonely souls meeting accidentally in sunny Sunday park. Girl’s lonely night in Metropolitan (pre-war) Tokyo, the stroll in the park and other exterior scenes are delicately photographed. Filled with striking angles, impressive chiaroscuro and composition, the most unforgettable was the slow tracking shot along the river bank to capture the casual encounter of two lonely souls in Sunday afternoon. After the screening, I heard someone saying “You know, the plot is not much, but this was good, just good. This IS the golden age of Japanese cinema.” I can’t agree more.
MI
Thanks so very much my friend for all those flattering and kind words! That’s terrific that you saw FURUSATO (1937) by the elder Itami. I am unfamiliar with his work, but of course know the son, and the film TAMPOPO that you reference here. The naturalistic feel and snow cinematography sound alluring, and the film itself is a rarity here in the states.
The Fushimizu film too is most desirable, and again it’s one that’s never enjoyed any screenings stateside. That’s quite a validation of the chiaroscuro, angles and composition, and it often matters not that the plot is non-existent. The Golden Age of Japanese cinema indeed!
Many thanks as always my very good friend!
Howdy Sam….
Well, what a boring Awards ceremony, huh? They really should have got Billy Crystal, Jon Stewart or Colbert.
Anyway, hope you are enjoying yourself with the Bilkos.
As for my viewings, I saw (max stars 40:
‘The Fighter’***
A slow burning little movie which really succeeds in creating it’s domestic lifestyle, giving a fully picture of the “trailer trash” that was in the background of say ‘Million Dollar Baby’. The acting was first rate and I had no problem with the actress winning her award, except that composure is class and she had none. At least she never said, “You really like me!” The fight scenes by the end were riverting and it comes from the ‘Rocky’ school of boxing pics, it’s their way out of the ghetto.
True Grit****
I really enjoy the original as an entertainment (probably **) and it’s acting is superb. Even Wayne, who never served in WW2 and had the temerity to make the ‘Green Berets’, really was in his element. And the original had Darby, Jeff Corey and Duvall, too. But essentially, it’s still a feel good vehicle. The new film hues to the viewpoint of the child, subjectively, throughout. It’s her film and Bridges is impinging on her world view. The photography and the music, not to mention the direction and magnificent. And the ending, unlike the artificial high of the original adaption, is full of the ambiguity of what happened to her in the intervening years. It was a rich experience and for the second time they haven’t forgotten to have an ending. After, ‘A Serious Man’ – this is the second time that have really kicked it off in style and it’s quite a roll.
Wastland****
A poetically vibrant film about the lives of recycling trash pickers in Brazil. In plumbs the depths of the lowest rungs of the strata and shows that people can keep their dignity, self-respect, sense of humour and kindness. It’s really a harrowing world and yet the artifice of their escape from that is mellowed by the element of what art brings to them and not just art, but modern art at that, too. The final with Moby’s music from ‘A Shot at the Back of the Head’ made me leave on a high.
Inside Job****
A wholly brilliant assemblage of film footage to put together the big picture of the financial crisis so that any person (ok, maybe not every person, but 95%) could understand the long term causes of the collapse. It made the complex, simple – which is anthoer way of saying, elegant. A sterling film and fully deserving the Best Documentary tag.
‘The Kings Speech’***
It’s a great buddy movie, the period detail is superb, the performances
outstanding (except for Churchill, that was simply miscast) and their are imperishable moments and scenes. My favourite being when Rush’s on screen wife comes home early to find the Queen at her table and her husband with the King. It’s certainly far better that the tosh ‘Mrs Brown’ and the dire ‘The Queen’. Yet, some of it is overblown, even for dramatic purposes, such as the swearing scene – with the yet to be King, trying to be low brow and earthy.
Anyway, got to run, a rare day of sunshine outside!
Thanks so much Bobby for this fantastic and detailed round-up. I plan to watch the Sgt. Bilkos this weekend, and I again want to thank you for your exceeding generosity. I am anticipating greatness of course, and only faintly remember teh show from many years ago, but it’s reputation is legendary.
I am thrilled to read what you say here about WASTELAND, which you’ve sized up beautifully, and of INSIDE JOB, a film that has your name written all over it. I agree with everything you say there about THE KING’S SPEECH, but I DO like MRS. BROWN too! LOL! I am not so fond as you of THE FIGHTER though, as I saw it as a formulaic meal with spicy cajun sauce. Wonderful capsule there on TRUE GRIT! I felt bad when young Miss Steinfeld was passed over the other night.
Great you have some sun light! Ha!
Many thanks again my very good friend!
I have to return to THE OUTER LIMITS site before it’s too late!