by Sam Juliano
One down and four to go. Our wonderful daughter Melanie -the oldest of our five children- graduated Cliffside Park High School this past week outdoors on a steamy hot and humid Wednesday evening at 6:00 P.M. For us it is hard to believe that one of our kids has reached this point, though now it we pretty much be one after the other. We certainly are very proud of our Melanie, who did finish in the top third of her graduating class, finishing with a fantastic senior year in academic achievement.
Best wishes for a soulful retirement to Angelo A. D’Arminio Jr. (our long time voting tabulator extraordinaire) who was the toast of a dinner on Wednesday night at Cafe Tivoli in Ridgefield. D’Arminio and his wife Kathy plan to re-locate in South Carolina by the end of the summer. He served as President of the Fairview Board of Education this past year after completing two separate stints on the nine-person panel. We wish Angelo the very best in the coming years.
Despite a packed week with all kinds of events (Melanie’s graduation party was held on Sunday at the Tiger Hose Firehouse in Fairview) Lucille, Sammy, Jeremy and I managed to see three films in theaters this past weeek, though one of those was a twelve minute short shown at the BAM Film Festival that was directed by our good friend Jason Giampietro. The two feature films we saw in theaters was another at the same BAM Festival, and the beloved STAR WARS at the Film Forum, shown as part of the Alec Guiness Film Festival. At the STAR WARS screening on Sunday afternoon we met up with Bob Clark and had a very fine talk after the film in the lobby. Whether one is a fervent fan of all the films or not, there is no denying this very first film made in the series as a landmark of the cinema for all sorts of reasons. We all had quite a bit of fun I must say.
Foxy Merkins *** 1/2 (Friday night) Brooklyn Academy of Music
Star Wars (1977) ***** (Sunday afternoon) Film Forum
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Congrats to Melanie!
I went to the IMDB to find out what The Foxy Merkins was all about, since you were being so coy, and noticed that one of the other audience members at the BAM fest gave it a rave review. I must keep an eye out for it.
Thanks so much for that John! I will extend your sentiments to Melanie.
LOL on THE FOXY MERKINS!! Admittedly I was rushing through the MMD lead-in last night, and I said much too little about that film and the short WHIFFED OFF.
THE FOXY MERKINS was a big hit at Sundance before landing here in Brooklyn. It is a comedy about lesbian propositioning that stars a lovably obese protagonist who is victim to some inspired mischief. The audience was often in stitches.
Have a great week my friend. many thanks as always.
Sam, I remember you had told me months ago that Jason Giampietro’s short film was a winner. Nice that you all were able to see it on the big screen at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (?) Star Wars is always a treat on the big screen. Good luck with the summer school program Sam!
Indeed Peter. I did tell you that about a week after Jason had actually shown it on my home PC after paying the family a visit. I rushed through the MMD last night and failed to talk about it and THE FOXY MERKINS as I should have. Yes we saw it at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. I do consider WHIFF OFF my personal favorite Giampietro short. Thanks for the kind words about the summer program. Looks like 19 students right now. Have a great week my friend!
Congratulations to Melanie and to the whole family. It’s a real landmark, and I’m glad you all had such a great time.
Following up my viewing two weeks ago of “Hairy Who and the Chicago Imagists,” Shane and I visited the Roger Brown Home and Studio, full of terrific art and artifacts of Brown’s and the other Imagists. Great and unique experience.
At home, we watched Ten Cents a Dance, a warm-up for The Bitter Tea of General Yen, with Stanwyck giving another fine performance. We also watched the remake of Carrie, which I really liked until the end, just another CGI mess. We also watched Where the Truth Lies, classic Atom Egoyan, if a bit chaotically edited. Finally finished up the week with Fight Club, a first viewing for both of us – fun ride for a while, but I got bored with it about halfway through.
Yes it indeed Marilyn, we do consider this a landmark, and thank you so much for those very kind words. We had a wonderful time.
That is an amazing trip you and Shane took to the Roger Brown Home and Studio to take in those artifacts and art. I would have opined that it had to be unique, but you stated as much. I wonder if you were permitted to take pictures and if so will you be posting them on FB or at your site? And this was the second trip to boot. Wow.
I also bored of FIGHT CLUB I must tell you and am not with the majority on its ultimate artistic worth. Sounds like we are on the same page. I probably liked CARRIE even less, but will agree it was at least tolerable until that over-the-top finale, which as you say was a CGI mess. WHERE THE TRUTH LIES is probably me own favorite Egoyan after THE SWEET HEREAFTER. I regret not having seen TEN CENTS A DANCE, despite attending a Stanwyck Festival. Darn. Great to hear she gives another memorable performance.
Thanks for the fabulous wrap Marilyn!!! Have a great week ahead my friend.
Oh, I will, Sam. I purchased advance tickets to Steve James’ doc on Roger Ebert, Life Itself, which opens here on July 4th. I’ll be in the first hometown audience to see the film.
Wow, I sure do wish I were in the Windy City this weekend!!! I knew you would be there for it for sure, and right at the front of the lines for multiple reasons! Greatly look forward to hearing about it. And I’ll be watching your FB page, thank you!
Congratulations to Melanie!!! The weather here has been hot, hot, hot and muggy without much chance of rain. But no sense in complaining, it’s probably going to be this way until October.
I did have a good week at the movies and we are going to see Jersey Boys this afternoon.
Ida (*****) A superbly made Polish film about a young woman on the verge of taking her final vows to become a nun who finds out that she is Jewish and her parents disappeared during the war. Filmed in B&W, the cinematography is first class as it the director’s use of the camera. A bleak tale of a young person confronting her family’s past.
The Immigrant (****1/2) Another outstanding film with touching and powerful performances by Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix. The film reflects how the dreams immigrants have of a better life in America can turn sour from forces beyond their control.
Dillinger (***1/2) Not much on facts but this is a terrific B film with a superbly evil performance from Lawrence Tierney. I have seen this film a few times and it just seems to get better with each viewing.
San Quentin (**) Another film with Tierney (this is not the Pat O’Brien/Humphrey Bogart WB flick but a 1946 RKO production). Unfortunately, Tierney is on the right side of the law, a former ex-con gone good, and the story itself is ordinary.
Tony Rome (**) Made in the late 60’s the film looks more like a throw back to the 1950’s. Sinatra is too old for the part and unconvincing. By this stage of his acting career he was just walking through his parts.
Have a great week!!!
Congratulations to all the Julianos.
Still in a film famine, alas.
Frantic (1988) — Roman Polanski has said he hates American tourists overrunning Paris, where he lives. So if the point of ‘Frantic,’ which features American tourists Harrison Ford and Betty Buckley, is to uglify Paris and discourage tourism, then Polanski has achieved his aesthetic purpose grimly, drably, depressingly. He has managed to make the City of Light (as in enlightenment) look like Los Angeles without the palms or Atlanta without the peach trees, an architectural nonentity full of sterile hotel rooms, Pizza Huts and monolithic highrises. To deglamorize one of the world’s most beautiful cities is an act of artistic perverseness, but one should expect nothing less from that imp of the perverse, M. Polanski.
Otherwise, a routine thriller featuring some lukewarm Hitchcock tropes and a beautiful actress named Emmanuelle Seigner, who is now Polanski’s wife.
How timely to find over the weekend a 50-cent hardback copy of the late Eli Wallach’s memoir ‘The Good, the Bad and Me: In My Anecdotage.’
An appreciation of Wallach’s career, chockablock with anecdotes and photos, is up at Sheila O’Malley’s joint and is highly recommended.
Mark—-
Thanks for the graduation greetings my friend! I will convey them to Melanie!
That is a very fascinating portrait you paint of Paris, or rather how Polanski perceives it and proceeds to envision it. But your own comparisons of how he ultimate presents it in FRANTIC, and the brilliant suggestion of artistic perverseness (isn’t that Polanski’s most identifiable trademark as you subsequently assert in that ‘imp’ description is quite persuasive. You then go on to state that the film is routine (I happen to agree with you) and that Mademoiselle Seigner is striking (again, agreed). Nice to have acquired that wonderful hardback copy of the Wallach memoir. Certainly for most his work in the Leone film is his most famous. I will certainly check the appreciation at Sheila O’Malley’s site.
Thanks so much for the great comment my friend! Have marvelous week.
Sam –
A great big hearty CONGRATULATIONS to Melanie. The first of five siblings to jump into the deep end of the pool — graduation! I’m absolutely confident that her party at the Tiger Hose Firehose was a blast! I’m going to have to check your Facebook wall later this afternoon to see if there are more photographs.
Laurie—-
Thanks so much for those beautiful sentiments! Yes, Melanie is indeed the first of our brood to cross the finish line, and the great big world lies ahead of her. The party was fantastic–great camaraderie, food and games, and another priceless get-together. We did take some pictures, but haven’t yet transferred them. Nice ones too! Thanks as always my great friend! Have a terrific week! 🙂
Once again, congratulations to Melanie on her achievement. I wish her all the best. Sounds like a very full week (as ususal!) for the Julianos.
Here, I actually saw one new film and one previously unseen classic. THEY CAME TOGETHER, a spoof of romantic comedies that leaves no cliche untouched or unspoofed, is a modestly entertaining film that soon starts to feel like an SNL sketch with no end. Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler bring all they’ve got to the lead roles, but it runs out of steam long before it’s over.
Hard to believe, but until yesterday, I’d never seen THE THIRD MAN. What a terrific film – how have I missed it until now! And the Barnes & Noble semi-annual half-price Criterion sale kicks off online today, so I can get myself a copy of the film for my permanent collection!
Thanks so much Pat! I will pass on your very kind words to her. Yes we had as busy a week now than we have had all year. I am most intrigued with THEY CAME TOGETHER, which I have not seen. Wow, first time for THE THIRD MAN for you? Well, in a sense I envy you, as I can only imagine how mesmerized and enthralled you were watching this week! That title is out-of-print Pat (at least on Criterion) but I am hoping somehow I am wrong. I visited our Paramus B & N today with the same mischief in mind. As in twice a year mischief. I acquired 11 titles. Have a great week my friend. Thanks as always!
Pat, sometimes I feel like The Third Man is my favorite film of all time. I always look forward to my next viewing.
Hello Sam and everyone!
What a recollection of events you had this week, remember to always treasure them in your mind. Nice to hear that you ran into Bob Clark and all that, personally I also think that this original Star Wars film is my favorite of all of them, and I rate it ****1/2.
My week? Well, I was able to be at FIDOCS, the Festival of Documentaries of Santiago. I managed to see 12 movies, among them many Chilean documentaries, so let’s see what I can do here:
– ¡Viva Chile Mierda! (2014, Adrian Goycolea) **** Incredible documentary about the people who were incarcerated and how it plays with its captors during the Chilean dictatorship.
– Amateur (2011, Nestor Frenkel) ***** This might be the best film that I saw at Fidocs this year. It was an incredible experience and a portrait of a man who loves movies and is obsessed with the collection and with his own life. A review will appear at my blog sometime soon.
– Buscando a Reynols (2004, Nestor Frenkel) ****1/2 As part of the usual lineup of competition, this time I had the pleasure to see a retrospective of Nestor Frenkel, He will be there at times, but he wasn’t at the first two showings. This is a documentary about a weird band of noise non-music lead by a Down Syndrome adult male. The result is obviously a documentary that constantly asks about the reality of a band like this, as well as about the true value of the music they make, as well as the morale behind the other members of the band who take commercial advantage of that marketing tool. A really great documentary.
– Buscando la plata (2013, Sarah Moll) ***1/2 A documentary made by a German filmmaker about the transportation changes in Santiago Chile in the past few years. Interesting but ultimately a bit didactic.
– Construction of a City (2007, Nestor Frenkel) ****1/2 The documentary chronicles the construction of a new city in Argentina, how the people practically where insane because of their change in life. A passionate documentary about the people, more than anything.
– La copia feliz del Edén (2014, Cristian Tapies) ***1/2 A chronicle of the mayor election of Valparaiso, Chile. A passionate and political documentary.
– Chronicle of a Comitee (2014, Jose Luis Sepulveda, Carolina Adriazola) **** This documentary won the Chilean competition, it’s a political documentary about a comitee who tries to bring a policeman to justice after he killed a kid at a protest.
– Of the Use of a Sex Toy in times of Crisis (2013, Éric Pittard) **** A nice contrast to something like “What Now, Remind Me”. A controlled piece of perfect direction, editing and cinematography, an example of how a film could look as gorgeous as it is, and be about a subject as dark as death. I wanted this to be better, it’s really slow in its start, as it doesn’t really establish its intentions as easily as one could suppose, it’s hard to understand how is this a documentary or more of a retelling, some way of summarizing a life, a way of trying to understand what’s behind someone’s life, someone’s ouvre. I like this a lot, though.
– Timoteo’s Ragged Circus (2013, Lorena Giachino Torrens) **** A review of this will appear any moment in Twitchfilm.
– Gyakuryu (1924, Buntaro Futagawa) **** This interesting fragment of a supposed long film still manages to come across as one of the best samurai stories ever told, from the perspective of one that comes from a more humble extraction, and how he sees his life destroyed by another samurai just because he thinks he’s superior and he may be able to do it. I liked this one a lot based on its melancholic undertones as well as the futile aspect of revenge that it presents at the end.
– Manakamana (2013, Stephanie Spray, Pacho Velez) ***1/2 Does what it’s promised. It features a couple of great sequences, but as life itself it contains boredom and incredibly beautiful moments. I wish that this was as formally disruptive as something like “Leviathan” (2012) was at its time, and I can’t deny that there’s a lot to like here, as it follows the same anthropological approach, but at the same time it’s filled with moments that would be cut out of any anthropological study as superfluous.
– Manga: Saramasamune (1930, Yasuji Murata) ***1/2 A short animated film about how being good will lead you to reward, a simple concept, but also a film of legendary proportions, as it tries to explain the origin of the sword Masamune, a name that will be familiar to anyone who has played RPGs in his life.
– El mercado (2014, Nestor Frenkel) **** A documentary made about the famous market of Argentina, its story and the people who live around it. Really well made.
– Rio 2 (2014, Carlos Saldanha) ***1/2 This feels and is more tolerable than the first one with its cheap animation moments and useless song moments. This one still has useless singing, but manages to make it work around some kind of framing device. It also features some good lessons, and while the script does go into some known ground, it has this weird subplot about revenge that made me laugh quite a bit. In the end, a mixed bag that still is interesting as how well it works compared to the first one.
– The Face (2012, Gustavo Fontan) *** I think I must say that Gustavo Fontán is not my cup of tea, at least when he goes wandering around and shooting trees with no reason. It starts really well, it’s like watching a secret, a documentary lost in time from an impossible wanderer who suddenly came upon the discovery of a lost family in the middle of the woods. It’s silent, rich, extremely well photographed. But then, it goes all Fontán on our asses, moving the camera too much, wandering a lot between the river and the trees and everything in between, missing that initial impact that made me think that I maybe was too rough on him at start, but then he continued on that route. A shame.
– Steel Town (2013, Daria Martin, Massimilliano Mollona) *** A short documentary shot on Brazil about a steel town, where the people try to overcome their difficulties by shooting a soap opera. It’s thin on the themes and execution.
That’s all, have a great week Sam!
Yes, a very active week indeed Jaimie. And a nice talk with Bob Clark before and after the film. Yes, this is absolutely the masterpiece of the entire franchise, and it was a mighty fine experience seeing it on the big screen. This is the first time in a very long time when your presentation has not yielded a single film I have seen. But that is understandable since this was a Santiago festival of Chilean cinema. Your writing and perceptions are wholly marvelous, and I do hope at some point a few of these will seep through the cracks, particularly AMATEUR and MERCANDO. Obviously some of those four star movies are worthwhile too. A magnificent round-up–was engrossed in the report my friend. Have a great Sunday and many thanks as always! 🙂
Sam,
Wow congrats on Melanie’s graduation and I’m sure the whole family is very proud of her. Also we love Star Wars here and the girls and I will be seeing The Empire Strikes Back this summer. We have been super busy, with our move being complete, a wedding attended in Chicago, and a vacation last week to St. Louis to visit my Brother, Sister in Law and niece and nephew. We’re now back and trying to get into the routine again.
I have caught up with some newer films:
Joe: It appears David Gordon Green is finding his footing again. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a well acted and fascinating bit of Southern Gothic filmmaking. I liked it and it has shades of Shane at the end.
The Fault in Our Stars: I must admit I really liked it! Shailene Woodley is quite lovely in the role and I even liked Ansel Elgort as Gus. Yes it can be a bit schmaltzy, but hey, love stories can be that way and I thought it had some of the old charm of the weepy melodramas of the 40’s and 50’s. I would like to see this one again.
Enemy: I am really digging Villaneuve’s output of late. Prisoners was brilliant and this is another very creepy and moody film with great cinematography, editing, pacing and a fantastic score. It reminded me of other double movies, but had its own angles. I suppose it shares something in common with Lynch, but that’s good company to be in. I haven’t quite decided if I like the ending and the literal interpretation it begs, however I do believe there is mastery here and I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt. I was enthralled with the film though, and it was sexy, and tense and very tightly controlled. I have a lot of respect for it. Have you seen it? What do you make of it? I don’t want to give away my interpretation if you haven’t seen it yet.
Talk soon my friend. Have a great week!
Jon—-
As always thanks so much for the very kinds words. I will relay your greetings to Melanie. I know you guys have been super busy with the move, not to mention a wedding and vacation stop in St. Louis. You have me VERY intrigued with ENEMY, which Lucille and I have not seen yet. I did finally see PRISONERS and liked it, so I am attuned to Villaneuve’s work. As I say I’d love to compare notes with you on the film soon. Delighted to hear you liked THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. I did too and agree with your specifications. Nice to hear what you say about David Gordon Green. I have not seen JOE yet.
Have a great 4th of July weekend my friend. Many thanks as always.
I saw THE GREAT GATSBY – the new one this past weekend and I watched the last episode of Sherlock HOLMES season 3 – I may actually watch a few more things coming up with 2 more bone graft surgeries on my jaw and finally the root canal. Then again with 20 books this month – maybe not!
just ready to post a new Max Allan Collins review of Supreme Justice a very very timely thriller about the Supreme Court justices a couple of Presidents in the future. It was amazing to read considering what the Justices decided yesterday in present time…we are stuck with these dudes – very stuck.
Congrats on graduations and retirements and moves…
Happy 4th
Happy Canada Day!
Patricia—-I hope you liked THE GREAT GATSBY well enough. I know a good number of people had serious issues with it. For sure it is not a perfect adaptation, but all in all I liked it fairly well. I haven’t been keeping up with that Sherlock Holmes series, but hope you are finding it worthwhile. I do love the character of course in other adaptations dating back to the Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce years. Geez, I am so sorry to hear about the bone grafts surgeries and the root canal. Ouch. I’m sure all will be well, but so sorry you have to go through this. I know you have several reviews up at PATRICIA’S WISDOM that I must see!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful words my friends. Appreciate it. And a very happy 4th to you my friend.
Congratulations to your daughter. Lovely photo.
Celeste, I want to thank you many times over for that incredible burst of activity you had at the site today! I am simply overwhelmed. As always your comments are acute and thoughtful. I know just how demanding it is to read so many reviews in a short time and then to comment on each. I remain stunned at what you have done my friend. Thanks so much for the kind words for Melanie here too.
Congratulations on Melanie’s graduation! And Star Wars too, eh? Quite a week. 😉
Sam, congratulations on Melanie’s graduation. What a milestone event and a wonderful time to celebrate! And Star Wars on the big screen is always a treat.
Quiet here right now on the movie watching front but hope to reverse that very, very soon. Hope you are having a great week!
Thanks for the very kind words about Melanie’s graduation, Jeffrey! We were all so proud for her. This was the first time young Sammy got to see STAR WARS on the big screen! The good movies are just around the corner for sure. Thanks again my friend!