by Sam Juliano
Some of the most beautiful days of the entire year around the metropolitan area were enjoyed at a time when sweltering heat usually confines most indoors. Yet, breezy, low-humidity low 70’s weather defined most of the past week. The hottest days of the summer are set for later in the week, though an immediate cold front will restrict that rise to only a couple of days.
Labor Day barbecues are being planned, while for some the school year is set to start the day after the holiday. September looms. And the Fall season inches closer. The marathon Romantic Countdown continues to move forward. It is two-thirds complete, and will roll on until October 6th.
This past week was not much of a movie going week for the first time in quite a while. Lucille and I did see one new release, LUCY, and also wound up seeing THE GIVER for a second time, to appease my cousin Robert McCartney, who was hot to trot to see it.
With almost a hundred ride tickets left from our previous trip to Seaside Heights several weeks ago, we decided to go down there again on Thursday. We all met up with my brother Tom, out and about after that brief hospital stay due to a bike accident – and he participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge – picture above! My nagging cough continues, but I do see some degree of improvement finally. However, I wasn’t feeling up to the tentative plans to see a Polish Cinema classic in the series that has run in many cities across America. In the end, Philadelphia proves just too much of a sacrifice. I did to be sure, see the film PHARAOH, but never on the big screen.
Major book signing event at BOOKS OF WONDER in Manhattan – the nation’s most renowned children’s bookstore. Several author/illustrators presented their newest works. Edward Hemingway (youngest grandson of literary icon Ernest Hemingway) signed copies of “Bad Apples’s Perfect Day.” Picture above features Sammy, Jeremy, Yours Truly and Mr. Hemingway.
Lucy *** (Saturday night) Starplex
LUCY was an often riveting science-fiction futuristic thriller that stars Scarlet Johansson. A unique idea with some spectacular effects and set pieces, but some it is just too far-fetched.
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Another busy week, eh? I’m glad to hear the throat problem is ebbing, and hope it fades fast. In this context, was the Ice Bucket Challenge the wisest of moves?
I’m interested by your reaction to Lucy. I’m hoping to see this one sooner rather than later — it sounds to be exactly the kind of flashy garbage that I adore when it’s Besson who’s dishing it out.
Thanks for the kind words John! Yes the throat issue is finally after weeks of discomfort, on the mend. Well, be rest assured I did NOT participate in the ice bucket challenge despite being chided and actually nominated for the very reason you mention here. That picture you see here is of my brother Tom and his friend. My wife and kids were there to witness it -in fact young Sammy actually poured the water bucket– but I was sitting in the cat a block away, as at the time sitting as opposed to standing yielded better results with the cough.
I rather liked LUCY, and I suspect you would be entertained as well. As you note, Besson has done some notable work in the past, especially THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC; LEON THE PROFESSIONAL, LA FEMME NIKITA and THE FIFTH ELEMENT. Thanks again and have a great week!
Ha! Sammy of course I recognized. I thought the guy on the left (presumably brother Tom?) must be you, but with face considerably distorted by the anguished shriek. Glad to hear you were doing the sensible thing.
Aye John. Now I am thinking that my malady is allergy-related. My younger 43 year-old brother Paul had suffered with the same thing over the past month – severe ragweed count – but in the past I only suffered from the polling allergies of the Spring season. I have a doctor’s appointment for Wednesday -schedules many weeks ago- so hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of this. In any case thanks so very much for your concern and kind words!! 🙂
Hi Sam,
I have been busy last couple of weeks and couldn’t quite catch your posts lately. But I am glad to read through your Monday post finally!
Actually, I saw LUCY trailer today at the theater, and wondered if it does make any sense. Sometimes, even if it’s SF, you got to have some sort of credibility to go by, otherwise it loses coherence, at least to me. Well, I don’t know. Some people say ‘it looks like Matrix’, but I am not quite sure if it makes it any better.
Well, after that trailer, I saw 3D Transformers: Age of Extinction. Yeah, I know, why bother? I thought if it is going to make $1 billion, you got to see it to figure out why. And now, I saw it, and I still don’t know why. One thing is for sure. It doesn’t pretend to be what it isn’t. At least it’s honest.
I have been working on screenings of public domain films for last couple of weeks, preparing subtitles and materials. Since any film prior to 1953 is in PD in Japan, we have lots of choices to work on. We are debating what we should choose for “Pre-Code Hollywood”. Any suggestions?
In any case, I resumed my posts at my blog and am trying to keep up with other things!
MI
MI—–
So thrilled to see you back on these boards! Completely understand being busy. LUCY is rather convoluted, but it does manage to keep you engrossed, largely because of some splendidly staged set pieces from action maestro Besson. At times it is indeed incoherent. Good comparison point with MATRIX, but as you say it does not necessarily denote that it is any better. As far as the 3D TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, yes I would question why bother. But I also agree that it is natural to investigate. True, it is not pretentious, so it definitely earns a point there. Sounds like you are immersed in a great project there with the pre-coders!! One of the richest and most creative periods in cinema history. Aside from the usual titles like TROUBLE IN PARADISE, PUBLIC ENEMY, SCARFACE, KING KONG, FRANKENSTEIN and all the Marxes I would strongly recommend revisiting these:
The Story of Temple Drake
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
Gold Diggers of 1933
Baby Face
Red-Headed Woman
Love Me Tonight
Wild Boys of the Road
She Done Him Wrong
Three on a Match
A Free Soul
The Divorcee
Night Nurse
The Sin of Madelon Claudet
Red Dust
Kongo
The Last Flight
Red-Headed Woman
Peach o Reno
There are so many more of course. Terrific news too that you have resumed at VERMILLION AND ONE NIGHTS. I will be there! Have a great week my friend!
Sam –
The Books of Wonder event had to be a blast!
I can’t stop smiling at the open-mouthed (shocked!) faces in the ice-bucket challenge photo. But I love, absolutely love, the photographs of the kids! Especially the first one of them smooshed together in what I suspect is a photo booth!
I suspect that you and yours are in full-swing back to school mode.
Make it a fantastic week!
Aye Laurie! We did have a wonderful time. As I have known for a long time BOOKS OF WONDER is definitive as far as children’s books stores go. Definitely not a place to go too armed with too much $$$. Ha! I have to ask Melanie how she managed to design that photo! Yes the ice-bucket challenge photo is a gem!! Love the expressions! This is indeed the final week before school starting up, and I am in fact up at the building now doing some paperwork. Have a fabulous week my friend!! 🙂
Sam, I think Labor Day is a perfect time to watch “Picnic,” which as you know just appeared in the Romantic Countdown. Summer’s end and back to school play well with the film’s themes.
This week I’m hoping to finally see the Before Sunrise trilogy with Hawke/Delpy.
Pierre, you hit the jackpot with that suggestion as far as I am concerned. Though I’ve had a copy of the film for years, I only months back secured the Twilight Time blu-ray, which I still haven’t actually looked at. I love PICNIC, and it would really be a great watch that day when I get home from a barbecue at a friend’s house with the family. You will be getting my report on it! Perfect timing too for you with your Linklater intentions, and Jon Warner has two of them covered beautifully today and next week! Time to compare notes. Have a great week my excellent friend! 🙂
I am interested in seeing LUCY but will probably have to wait for the DVD. Still trying to catch BOYHOOD before it disappears. We were supposed to go last week but….It’s now playing at another theater close by. Hopefully tomorrow. We are stuck in part of the heatwave, even for FLA., yesterday it hit 95, feeling like 105!
On the movie front…
Blessed Event (****) Terrific pre-code with fast talking Lee Tracy as a Walter Winchell type gossip columnist for a New York paper. The dialogue is sharp and funny and Tracy’s performance make it a must see.
Altman (***) Decent documentary (produced by EPIX TV) on the great and innovative director. It’s a pretty straight forward doc. that goes through the highs and lows of the director career and life without revealing much insight.
Jazz on a Summer’s Day (****1/2) Photographer Bert Stern’s only feature film is a documentary covering the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. Beautifully shot as you would expect. Stern’s still photography background is evident in a lot of shots but it’s nicely edited by Aram Avakian. Said to be the first feature length concert film.
Finally, re-watched the great Paul Muni film prison film “I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang” (*****).
John—-LUCY seems to be nearing the end of its theatrical run, so a DVD viewing may be the best way to deal with it right now. The movie has issues, but I still recommend it for the considerable entertainment it provides. BOYHOOD is on the other hand a matter of urgency, Still I don’t think it will be disappearing quite yet. Wow, you guys are getting some scorchers as of late. Ugh. The summer season up here as been comparatively mild, but a few hot ones are coming this week. High 80’s. Stay cool. I saw BLESSED EVENT at a past Film Forum pre-code retrospective, and liked it as much as you did for sure! Yes, Tracy was wonderful, as was the screenplay. As far as I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG, it is one of the great American social-conscious films for sure. Muni is superlative. JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY is fantastic stuff—Have never seen that middling Altman documentary, but much appreciate the report. Have a great week my friend–do what you must to dodge that heat! 🙂
Sam –
Looks like a fun week there! (Somebody got the ice bucket challenge!) – lots of great family pictures, too. Glad you’re having some good weather. Ours is finally August-like, meaning very hot and very humid. I wandered out with friends to a neighborhood street festival on Sunday, but we lasted only about an hour before returning to the icy blast of my air-coniditioned living room!
I want to get around to seeing LUCY at some point, but for now I’m continuing in my stay-at-home VOD mode. I caught THE TRIP TO ITALY – which surpassed the original film in emotional reasonace, if not always as laugh-out-loud funny. Steve Coogan is nicer and more restrained this time out, while Rob Brydon gets in all the best impression work. And, of course, the goregeous Italian scenery is to die for. I also watched the pleasantly enjoyable bio-documentary on George Takei: TO BE TAKEI.
Finally on a sweltering and stormy Saturday afternoon, I got around to watching my Netflix rental of Fassbinder’s VERONIKA VOSS, certainly a stylish film, but otherwise not one of my favorites of his. I really struggled to stay engaged with it. For me, it’s the nadir of the BRD trilogy.
Have a great week everyone!
Pat—-
We did indeed have a fun week Pat! And a wake-up call for what is to follow with the return to our jobs. My brother did brave the ice bucket challenge right after he got out of the hospital. That’s typical of Tommy. We have enjoyed some fabulous weather, though this week is hotter at least for a few days. Sounds like you have the same right now. And a lot of great photos for sure! So great to hear that glowing response from you on THE TRIP TO ITALY, though I certainly would expect as much considering your great taste. LUCY is worth a look-see, but not in any matter of urgency. Great capsule of ITALY. I do want to see Takei, as I am a lifelong Star Trek admirer of him and his character Sulu. Agreed that VV is the least in the Trilogy, though I still like it. Understandable that it would fail to engage though, as there is a tolerance level there. Have a fabulous week my very good friend! Many thanks as always! 🙂
Happy to hear you are feeling better Sam. Smart move to stay clear of the ice bucket challenge. You don’t want to take any chances. Still, gotta love that photo with your brother and his friend getting treated. Amazing that the book author Edward Hemingway is the grandson of Ernest!
Thanks so very much Frank! Yes I didn’t go near the ice bucket challenge, though I might have done what Howard Stern did “drenching himself” with a single ice cube in a shot glass! Ha! Yes so great to meet up with the great one’s talented and personable grandson! Have a great week my friend!
Hello Sam and everyone!
Well, seems that the end of the summer is approaching your place, here the end of winter is nothing but wanted, cold days and rain are just annoying at this point, though we’ve had some warm days as well, maybe too warm, damn you global warming!
The movies I saw last week are:
– A Most Wanted Man (2014, Anton Corbijn) **** I will have to review this film for a spanish publication, but I must say that the ending made me scream in rage.
– Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972, Werner Herzog) ****1/2 As if a documentary crew was there during the lamentable conquest of America by violent Spaniard forces, killing and looting and becoming something insane. This reminds me of a class I attended recently (I don’t go to university anymore, I just go to classes from time to time) and that man described so well the madness that it was to try and make some sense out of the conquest, what drove them and made them want to stay and continue with their trips, why would they be in such a shitty situation if it wasn’t worth it? Maybe the answer is in this film, maybe in one of its dream-like sequences (but, oh, so life-like at the same time) you can find the key behind what was going on there, or maybe not, maybe it’s better to just think that it’s a mystery, just like the tone and the way that this film was made.
– The Birth of a Nation (1915, D.W. Griffith) ** A bunch of black people were hitting kKK allies and I had no problem with it, I knew that no matter how technically superior a film ends up being, specially when it comes to a film like this one (famous for many reasons, infamous for many others), it doesn’t matter, the message will come through, and if it’ san awful message, the movie becomes awful. The technical aspect and the editing, if done right, would’ve made me fall for the arguments and the story, but the whole time I was rooting for “the bad guy”. Besides that, the film has a really good first hour, and just like in the US, once they kill Lincoln, the whole thing goes to shit.
– Diplomacy (2014, Volker Schlöndorff) ***1/2 This is a filmed play of sorts, an incredible play as well, I could envision me doing any of the two roles and be fulfilled in its play-ness. Besides that, the performances are commendable and rightful in the place that they stay, as veteran actors tend to do with these kind of roles. The history behind this film is obviously not as the one that is portrayed here, but hey, you can’t have everything. The blocking of the scenes is ok and the scenes that go beyond the place were the play takes place are not as good, as they feel like extensions to give a reason for the movie to be made. The Parisian landscape is really beautiful, and I hope it was the real one (obviously with the deletions necessary to make it look like the one in 1944).
– Life Itself (2014, Steve James) **** Emotional and something constructed around the death of a great man. I don’t think that James had the vision to see it coming, the last emails he sends are heartbreaking and at the same time the oblivious questions are so infuriating, like asking about stuff that he already covered, asking about things that didn’t matter, you know his life was surrounded by film, we want to know the rest, we get a glimpse of his family life, and the description of his death might be the most emotional thing, if I hadn’t already read it before. I’m being harsh on this movie, because it had the chance to be something greater on the hands of a less oblivious director, not one that wasn’t a friend or anything like that, but someone who could envision the darker aspects without the pity and the obliviousness that James had. This might’ve been a masterpiece if Werner Herzog had any interest in doing it at any point.
– New York, New York (1977, Martin Scorsese) **** I was so incredibly mixed on this, but the technical mastery shown in the last 45 minutes made it turn into a positive view on the overall film. While I think that the first part is equally faulty and not as strong as the final half hour of the film, I think I can see what people are seeing when they watch this movie and think about how it was kinda uneven. Liza Minelli though was something else, something to recon in terms of her singing abilities, though I’m not so sure about her acting chops. The film features most camera movements and shots that would make me go wow if they were done half as creatively as done here. There’s a superior technical craft here, it’s not a Scorsese misstep as much as, let’s say, “The Departed” was with its ill-advised style and script.
– Return of the Fly (1959, Edward Berns) ***1/2 I know, I know it’s not a good movie, but I can’t help it! This is a sequel to a movie I absolutely genuinely love, and I think that the sequel, while sillier, is still fine for the most part. It’s not as profound, for sure, and it decides to go with the crime subplot, thus giving the chance to the fly monster to have some really not interesting kills. The ending and overall goodness, besides the presence of crimes in the life of the Son of the Fly is appalling, but at the same time an oversight that makes me laugh. There’s one scene that should be mentioned more often and it’s not always discussed among horror/scifi fans, and it’s the whole guinea pig/police hybrid, it features nasty, funny and scary at the same time.
– Skidoo (1968, Otto Preminger) **** Watched this online with a bunch of people with twitter commentary. This movie is so maligned and it’s just oh so much fun.
– Too Much Johnson (1938, Orson Welles) ***1/2 Manages to put forward many clues of the visual style of Welles early on. This is an amazing discovery and well worth the watch.
That’s all, have a great week Sam!
Yes Jaimie, looks like you and I are reversing seasons here! Can’t blame you for wanting an end to all the annoying aspects of the winter season though. Actually my favorite season of the entire years for all sorts of reasons (and film figures in prominently) is the upcoming autumn. And yes global warming continue to exert its ominous fluctuations. Well, I am pretty much in agreement with you as far as rating for Phillip Seymour Hoffmann’s final film. And the ending does boil you blood for sure. Not so sure that Herzog could have done better than what James did with LIFE ITSELF, as there was a passionate man to man connection fro year between james and Ebert. Still, Herzog is admittedly a genius, and there is no telling what great ideas he may have come up with. In any case I am with you on the solid four-star rating, and very fine commentary. For the most part I was very moved by the documentary.
As far as BIRTH OF A NATION ( a five-star masterpiece for me) we will never come to any kind of agreement, but I applaud you for stating your case and not being intimidated by the film’s towering reputation and status as a historical and cultural landmark. One day will will compare notes again on it.
Herzog’s AGUIRE is another masterpiece and your 4.5 stars are close enough, methinks. Great anecdote BTW of that discussion in class with a colleague of yours. Fascinating. I’d go with 4.5 on NEW YORK NEW YORK but fully understand your caveats. No need to apologize for THE RETURN OF THE FLY–the fun outweigh the hokiness! Always a guilty pleasure for me! You are the third person who has recently written on the Welles film (Tony D. was one) and all I can say is I look forward to seeing it. I never saw SKIDOO, but have seen nearly all other Premingers. Excellent summary. Have a terrific weekend my friend. Fantastic wrap here as always!
Hi Sam,
Lucy looks sort of interesting, however I’m far more interested in Under the Skin of course, which I still haven’t caught up with. I was also hoping to see Boyhood this weekend, but there’s a lot to do around the house and also getting ready for school to start on Tuesday. We’ll probably be trying to stay home mostly. This week my wife and watched Lust for Life, the old one with Kirk Douglas. Wow I didn’t remember it being that great! It was a powerhouse film with a masterful performance from Douglas. Tremendous stuff.
Have been doing some fun things with the kids around the house lately as we’ve been planting some trees in our yard. We’ve planted 3 in the last couple weeks so lots of learning had by all. I tend to have a rather green thumb, but actually haven’t ever planted any trees. Fun project.
Well hope you have a great weekend Sam!
As well you should be Jon! UNDER THE SKIN is a matter of far greater urgency than LUCY, though Besson’s film is still worth a look see down the line when the chance emerges. As to BOYHOOD, I still consider it the film of the year, and am eager to compare notes when you get to it. I like LUST FOR LIFE quite a bit myself, and thought Douglas superb. I’ll never forget our beloved Fairview librarian Martha Chiappetta (who lived to be 98) always repeated an old opinion to me about her being disappointed that Anthony Quinn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for LUST FOR LIFE in 1956, when the award in her view should clearly have gone to Robert Stack for WRITTEN ON THE WIND. I think she may have a very good point there, though I certainly did like Quinn’s work here. Two other exceptional Van Gogh films are Maurice Pialat’s 1991 VAN GOGH and Robert Altman’s 1990 VINCENT AND THEO. Great stuff planting trees and one of the best leaning experiences for sure. Have a great weekend my friend! Many thanks as always!
Sam, I apologize for the late reply here.
Your trip to Seaside Heights and meeting of Edward Hemingway both sound like real high points. And I hope by now you are clearly on the other side of your bad cough.
I am still a little slow in terms of my viewing efforts, but this week I did see the Chaplin short SUNNYSIDE and Manoel de Oliveira’s I’M GOING HOME. Like you, I am a major Chaplin fan so was happy for another first time viewing and I continue to be incredibly impressed and moved by the Portuguese filmmaker’s work.
Hope you are having a great week. Thanks so much for all that you do!
Jeffrey, your humility, friendship, support and ceaseless enthusiasm is in the league of its own. Thanking you is a tiny gesture—I’d love to have you as our guest the next time you are in the NYC area. You have deeply moved me, and have enhanced the entire blogging experience immeasurably. Truly one of the nicest persons I’ve ever come into contact with. Just incomparable. I also love that Chaplin short, but am afraid I have not seen that particular de Oliveira, though I greatly admire his work. We are coming off another wild week, but have certainly enjoyed it. Thanks a hundred times over my friend. Have a special upcoming week! 🙂