There is Blood, Indeed

I finally was able to see the movie “There Will Be Blood” and the much talked about Oscar-winning performance by Daniel Day Lewis.  I must say I came away more than impressed.   Although I originally felt Tommy Lee Jones’ performance in “In the Valley of Elah” was worthy of the best actor award, I now agree that Lewis deserved to win.  It is a bravura performance, the likes of which we very rarely see on screen.  Paul Thomas Anderson’s film borrows liberally from many sources but I was particularly struck by how much influence John Huston’s 1948 masterpiece “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” had on Thomas.  Much like Humphrey Bogart’s Fred C. Dobbs character in that film, Lewis’ Daniel Plainview is the picture of paranoia, fear, greed and, ultimately, madness.  He inhabits this successful oil baron with hints of kindness and humanity at the start but ultimately takes the character down a path to a pathetic end.  This is similar to the downslope of the Dobbs character in Huston’s film.  Viewing these movies back to back really enhances the similarities between the two. Besides both being westerns, they both deal with the consequences of greed and paranoia and how they isolate human beings.  Not to mention that Lewis actually sounds like John Huston.  If you listen carefully, and were to close your eyes, it is as If Huston is delivering the dialogue.  It really is an amazing piece of voice inflection.  (If you aren’t familiar with Huston’s voice, check him out in 1974’s “Chinatown” and you’ll see what I mean.  Thomas has always made no secret of the fact that Huston is a big influence on him as a director and Lewis’ role puts that on full display here.  So, if you enjoy character driven movies with a commanding presence in the lead role, this is the movie for you.  I’m not a big fan of westerns in general but Lewis is so good here it doesn’t matter what genre the film falls into.  This is a performance for the ages that should be considered masterful regardless of genre.

Oscar Predictions

OK, the big night is tomorrow night so here are my Oscar predictions in the “Big 8″ categories. For each I will give you who I think will win followed by who I think should win in each category.

Best Picture: will win: “No Country for Old Men;” should win: “Juno”

Best Actor: will win: Daniel Day-Lewis for “There Will Be Blood;” should win: Tommy Lee Jones for “In the Valley of Elah”

Best Actress: will win: Julie Christie for “Away From Her;” should win: Christie

Best Supporting Actor: will win: Javier Bardem for “No Country for Old Men;” should win: Tom Wilkinson for “Michael Clayton.”

Best Supporting Actress: will win: Tilda Swinton for “Michael Clayton;” should win: Swinton

Best Director: will win: Joel & Ethan Coen for “No Country for Old Men;” should win: Tony Gilroy for “Michael Clayton”

Best Original Screenplay: will win: Diablo Cody for “Juno;” should win: Cody

Best Adapted Screenplay: will win: Joel & Ethan Coen for “No Country for Old Men;” should win: Sarah Polley for “Away From Her.”

Yes, I am partial toward three movies on this list: “Juno,” “Michael Clayton” and “Away From Her” but they truly were three of the best films of 2007 and I’d love to see them rewarded. For my money the most amazing nominee on this entire list is 28-year old actress Sarah Polley, who not only wrote the adaptation of “Away From Her” but also made her directorial debut with the film. That a 28-year old can come to understand Alzheimer’s disease at such a young age and then produce the movie that she did is simply an amazing accomplishment. Hopefully the Academy will go against the grain and give her the prize. We’ll see.  Anyway, that’s my two cents.

Attention Cinemaphiles Part 2!!

OK, I couldn’t stop at 10. Here’s 11-20 in my greatest films of all time. Some of these might surprise you.

11) Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, Woody Allen) I think this is Woody’s best film ever. It explores moral dilemmas, the human conscience and the ability to live with the radical choices sometimes made in life. Martin Landau’s performance is outstanding as a man tormented by his soul and what he’s done.

12) Born On The Fourth Of July (1987, Oliver Stone) Released one year after “Platoon,” it’s a look at the Vietnam experience from a totally different point of view. Should have earned Tom Cruise an Oscar for his bravura performance. At least Stone got the Best Director prize.

13) The Verdict (1982, Sidney Lumet) For my money this is Paul Newman’s best performance. He’s an alcoholic trial lawyer who takes on one last case that finally wakes him up and makes him care again. A study of how lawyers don’t always have hearts of darkness. This is the movie for which I think he got his make-up Oscar when he won for “The Color of Money” in ‘86.

14) Jaws (1975, Steven Spielberg) No list is complete without the first true blockbuster of all time. It changed the way movies are made and marketed, but more than that its story never gets old. Even 30 plus years later it is still fascinating how it scares you more when you don’t see the shark than when you do. Plus it is filled with classic dialogue.

15) The Godfather Part II (1974, Francis Ford Coppola) Probably the only sequel in the history of American cinema that critics say is better than its original. I happen to disagree only because Brando was in the original. Al Pacino has never been better as we watch the meltdown of Michael Corleone’s heart before our very eyes. Oh, and DeNiro is pretty good too as a young Vito.

16) The Children’s Hour (1961, William Wyler) Much like “Network,” it is decades ahead of its time in its depiction of female homosexuality and what happens when people become hysterical about the subject. I had never heard of it prior to finding it recently. I couldn’t believe a film with Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine and James Garner was that obscure. This is also a very underrated film and is more than relevant today.

17) Quiz Show (1994, Robert Redford) Covering the quiz show scandals of the 1950’s, it is a very informative piece of American history. It is fascinating to see the tainted history of something we take for granted every day: television game shows. Redford shows us that the TV industry can be as ruthless as any business in its quest for ratings.

18) The Contender (2000, Rod Lurie) A political thriller with riveting performances by Joan Allen and Gary Oldman as the two square off in the battle to nominate the first woman to the vice-presidency. It shows the dirty tricks and scandals put forth by those in governmental power in order to keep the status quo. We see up close what we already suspect is going on in Washington, D.C.

19) Mildred Pierce (1945, Michael Curtiz) Oscar winning comeback performance for Joan Crawford as a mother who will sacrifice anything for her daughter, no matter the cost. Ann Blyth is the ungrateful recipient of Crawford’s love and sacrifice. The best movie on the mother-daughter dynamic since “Stella Dallas.” Both performances are excellent in this great film noir piece.

20) Being There (1979, Hal Ashby) Peter Sellers’ final film before his death and another underrated gem of a movie. The story of how a simple man comes to have a lot of influence on the world despite seeing it through the eyes of a child. Excellent support from Shirley MacLaine and Melvyn Douglas, who got a best supporting actor prize. Sellers was nominated for best actor and it’s easy to see why.

Attention Cinemaphiles!

I just finished a second viewing of the three part film series “A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies.” It’s a history of American cinema as seen through the eyes of one of its greatest artists and it impressed me even more the second time. When you hear Scorsese talk about his love for movies and the inspirations that made him what he is today, you can’t help but be riveted by what he is saying. To me he is America’s greatest living film director and one of the main reasons movies are so loved America. As a result, I was inspired to list my 10 greatest movies of all time. I’ve probably seen over 1500 movies so the choices were not easy. Now, maybe no one will care but hey, it’s my blog so why not? What follows is the name of each film in order of preference followed by year of release, director and a brief comment on why I think it is one of my 10 best.

1) Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese) Far and away the best. An epic of life in the American mob that captures all the layers of the life, not just the glitz and glamour. Should have won the best picture oscar as it was miles better than “Dances With Wolves.” A coming out party for Ray Liotta as a star as the gangsters come to life.

2) The Shawshank Redemption (1994, Frank Darabont) Powerful look at the true meaning of perseverance and friendship. Morgan Freeman’s narration adds just the right touch. If you’re honest, it has to leave you sobbing at the end.

3) Network (1976, Sidney Lumet) Decades ahead of its time in foreshadowing the current age of tabloid TV and news that was only supposed to be a parody.

4) Out Of The Past (1947, Jacques Tourneur) THE Classic film noir story about lust, greed and murder that was the definitive piece of its time. Electric performances from Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer. The basis for 1984’s “Against All Odds.”

5) Planet of the Apes (1968, Franklin J. Schaffner) My favorite movie as a kid and the best sci-fi film ever due to its heavy mix of social commentary, satire and tragedy. It never gets old for me no matter how many times I see it.

6) The Godfather (1972, Francis Ford Coppola) One of a kind masterpiece that presents the more romantic side of mob life. Showed us the importance of the code of honor among family and thieves alike before Goodfellas gave us the brutality of the street.

7) Sunset Boulevard (1950, Billy Wilder) A biting satire of old Hollywood that showcases the has-beens and wanna-bes running around the old studio system. Great comeback role for Gloria Swanson and William Holden is brilliant as usual.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967, Stanley Kramer) The great Spencer Tracy’s final film. He died shortly after completing it. The best moment is the final scene with Tracy’s heartfelt speech. Katharine Hepburn later admitted that the tears she shed in the scene were real due to her real-life love for Tracy and knowing he was near the end.

9) Singin’ In the Rain (1952 Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly) Generally speaking, I am not a fan of musicals but I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the whole movie. A truly joyous film with two of the greatest musical pieces ever in the title song and “Good Mornin.’

10) When A Man Loves A Woman (1994, Luis Mandoki) I am fascinated by this portrait of alcoholism because it is the woman and not the man with the disease, which is rare in movies. Meg Ryan is fantastic playing against type and Andy Garcia is also tremendous in this story of the battle between deep love and disease. A very underrated film.

Stay tuned for a continuation of the list in a future blog with films 11-20. There’s so many I left out that I have to keep going!

Oscar Noms

Looking at the academy award nominations that were just announced this morning I am particularly happy to see two movies get some well deserved recognition.  “Michael Clayton” and “Juno” were two of my top 10 choices for best movies of 2007 and I am glad to see that the Academy agreed.  “Clayton” garnered a total of 6 major nominations including best picture, director, actor (George Clooney) and supporting actor (Tom Wilkinson)  For my money, Wilkinson should win in his category.  His portrayal of a mentally ill, conscience stricken corporate lawyer is right on the money.  Wilkinson is fast becoming one of the best character actors in Hollywood.  It would be nice to see him rewarded for his work.  As for “Juno” it gets my vote as the best movie of 2007 for its portrayal of a pregnant teen who makes some very adult decisions in regard to how she will handle her pregnancy.  A brilliant script by Diablo Cody, who was nominated for best original screenplay.  I was very happy to see Ellen Page, the title character, get nominated for best actress.  Her performance was one for the ages and I really hope she wins.  However she has some tough competition from the likes of Laura Linney (The Savages), Julie Christie (Away From Her) and Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age) so it will be tough.  I thought Christie’s performance was just as good in her film as Page’s so even though I love Page I think Christie will win, which would not be a bad thing.  “Juno” also was nominated for best picture and best director (Jason Reitman) so hopefully it can bring home one major award.  The bottom line is if you haven’t seen either of these movies, go out and do so.  You will not be disappointed.  Both “Juno” and “Michael Clayton” are remarkable films.

DVD Review: The Last Kiss

If you are looking for a movie about relationships and the difficulties that go with them then take a look at this movie. I thought it was one of the best of 2006 because it really shows its characters at various points in their love relationships and how they deal with their lives. I think it is very relavent not just to people turning 30 (which most of these characters are) but to people of all ages. In this movie there is at least one character that all of us can identify with. The main story arc concerns Michael (Zach Braff) and his girlfriend Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) who has just become pregnant. This part of the film deals with the doubt Michael feels about where he is now and what his life will mean in the future now that he has a child on the way. He feels his life doesn’t include anymore surprises until a chance meeting at a friend’s wedding with Kim (Rachel Bilson) makes him begin to question that notion. Kim is a twenty-something college student who piques Michael’s interest and makes him feel alive again. Of course he acts on this newfound energy and both the anticipation of and fallout from his actions is what drives the movie and the other characters around him. I like the movie because we see how relationships function at many different levels, including the 30-year marriage of Jenna’s parents (Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson who are both outstanding); the troubled young marriage of Michael’s friend Chris (Casey Affleck) and the recent troubled breakup of their friends Izzy and Arianna (Michael Weston and Marley Shelton.) Tony Goldwyn’s film lets us look in on love and relationships and makes it easy for us to understand because we all have felt the way these characters feel at some point in our lives. We know where they are coming from so we know why they make the choices they do. The film is not very well known but it really struck me as being one of the best I’ve seen on love and relationships because it shows how things really are for most of us. See it for the outstanding performances by the ensemble cast. There really isn’t a bad one in the whole film. You will not be disappointed.

DVD Review: Jesus Camp

If you are interested in documentary film you need to add the 2006 film “Jesus Camp” to your Netflix queues. I just saw it again recently and I can’t say enough good things about it. As much as this film outrages me it is required viewing for those of us who are worried about the direction our country is taking under the influence of neo-conservatives in America. The film focuses on the “Kids On Fire” bible camp in North Dakota where fanatical Christian fundamentalists send their kids to spread the fundamentalist community’s religious and political messages. In essence they are creating a whole new generation of people who want to preach to the rest of society on how they should live. Now I don’t approve of what is going on in this camp but the fact that director Heidi Ewing had the guts to show us what is taking place is astounding. This is an excellent film but at the same time it is truly the scariest film of the year. The amount of propaganda being fed into the minds of these innocent kids by their right-wing fanatic parents is truly startling. It is truly scary what these people believe in and the fact that they are spreading their nonsense to their kids, who do not yet have the full ability to evaluate and choose their own positions in life, is disgraceful. The brainwashed neo-conservative rhetoric and hate spewing that these people are passing on to their kids is astonishing. They are about to create a generation of hate mongers and busybodies who think they have the right to tell others how to live their lives. This film will take your breath away and make you want to throw a brick through your television at the same time.

Movies 2007

It was a great year for movies in 2007.  Here is my ten best list for ‘07 in order of preference.   I haven’t seen everything yet that I wanted to see but this is the best of what I have seen.

1. Juno

2. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

3. Michael Clayton

4. The Savages

5. Zodiac

6. In The Valley of Elah

7. Waitress

8. Away From Her

9. Knocked Up

10. Alpha Dog 

Christmas Insanity

So the Christmas shopping season began in earnest yesterday with Black Friday-  the day many Americans lose their minds and line up outside retail stores across the country in search of the best bargains.  I’ve always thought that this was a symbol of why the rest of the world hates America and as I watched my local news late Thursday night I wasn’t disappointed.  There they were- lines of people standing out in the wind and freezing cold of the northeast ready to pounce when the stores opened at 5AM.  They even interviewed a girl and her father outside a Best Buy who said that standing outside a store at night equalled the quality time spent with family at Thanksgiving in that they spent time during Thanksgiving clipping coupons and planning on what they would buy together.  Now they got to be together in the cold of night.  Yep, sounds like family bonding to me!  The scary part is that both were serious when they made those comments.  I mean the whole thing is just a complete circus every year and retailers have taken advantage.  You’ll notice that this year the stores were opening an hour earlier at 4AM.  I’m sure next year it will be 3AM and so on.  But I don’t blame the retailers.  They are in business to make money, so if people are stupid enough to stand outside all night, more power to the stores.  As for what it says about us?  Well, it’s pretty obvious.  Some of us are willing to make complete asses of ourselves so we can save a buck or two while the rest of us look on with wonderment at how ridiculous the “bargain hunters” really are.  Again, we wonder why the world looks at America as full of itself.  Black Friday is example number one.