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(03/06/06 7:24am)
Gee, first joke of the night- a "Brokeback Mountain" joke, what a surprise. The gag about the old hosts was clever, just in time for Jon Stewart's hosting debut, one aspect I'm definitely looking forward to this year. The opening monologue is decent, but they should be making a lot more fun of the celebrities in the audience. We get several chuckles out of jokes about Bjork, "Crash," and "Walk the Line". Another "Brokeback Mountain" gag. If they haven't done AT LEAST 15 by the end of the night, like Werner Herzog, I will eat my own leather shoe. I'll cook it in olive oil, with maybe some potatoes au gratin on the side, and a nice merlot. \nNicole Kidman looks gorgeous and classic as usual. Her opening comments are eloquent; usually those intros are stodgy and stupidly written. No surprise as George Clooney wins for "Syriana". The former Batman/sexiest man alive 1997 picks up the award for his performance in "Syriana," a good performance, but not nearly as heartfelt or touching as those of Jake Gyllenhaal or Paul Giammatti. His speech, however, is one of the best I've ever heard. No thanking agents, no thanking script supervisors or "the little people." He actually makes a political statement, intelligently stated, with a little self-deprecating humor thrown in for good measure. \nBen Stiller is presenting? Oh yeah, I forgot his Oscar-nominated turn in "Zoolander". No? Maybe I'm thinking of "Meet the Parents"? Wrong again? Oh no…I've got it, he was nominated for directing "Reality Bites". Oh right, he is not even remotely talented enough to ever have been nominated, but ABC is desperate for ratings, which much explain his presence. "King Kong" wins for special visual effects, another high point in Peter Jackson's so far stellar career. \nBest Animated Feature is up. I know the fun Brit flick is going to take it away, but it would be nice if Hayao Miyazaki was acknowledged for being one of the best animation filmmakers of all time for "Howl's Moving Castle". And it looks like the Brits have brought little Oscar fitting ties for the statues; as if they couldn't scream they knew they were going to win any louder. \nDolly Parton's musical number is up. I haven't yet heard this song, but from what I can tell, it's pretty good. This is the category in which I rarely place in any stock, as past winners include Celine Dion (over the genius of Elliot Smith), Eminem, and Barbra Streisand. Who would have thought that she could still be on the ins with Hollywood after that "Rhinestone" fiasco. I'm just glad she's sticking to music this year. \nIs it just me, or does it seem like they're doing something very strange with the commercials this year? Each one is like a short film. The coke commercial has a linear storyline with a plot and resolution. Even commercials are going indie. \nThe Wilson brothers are up to present Best Short Film. I haven't seen any of these short films here but I've heard good things about my winning pick "Six Shooter." Irish-born Martin McDanagh does a nice short speech. Are the allotted speech times now directly related to the length of the films that nominees win for? Or does most of the country just not care about who wins for the short films they will never be able to find at Blockbuster? Yeah, it's probably the latter. \nOk, I'd just like to say that for Best Animated short, I based my pick off of which one had the most "Oscar-winning" sounding title, and my pick won. John Canemaker and Peggy Stern accept the award "The Moon and the Son", which features the voice of John Turturro. \nWow, even Jennifer Aniston says something honest and clever in her intro, stating that the only ensembles that really matter on Oscar night are those that are nominated for Best Costume Design. Colin Atwood deservedly wins for "Memoirs of a Geisha," a film that would not have worked a tenth as well if not for the amazing costumes she designed. \nRussell Crowe is here???? After being snubbed for "Cinderella Man?" Guess he is trying to get back into Oscar's good books. \nWell, it was just a matter of time. I've been saying for years that the biopic was going to someday become a genre unto itself. So how appropriate is it that they've included a biopic tribute montage for this year's show? \nWill Farrell and Steve Carrell are presenting too? They really are desperate for ratings. There seems to be a theme for the presenters this year, they have been in the most commercially successful films of the year, while the people they're giving the awards to have been making politically-charged indie dramas no one would have seen if they hadn't been nominated. I guess the Oscar marketing team knew what it was doing to get people to watch. \n"The Chronicles of Narnia" wins for Best Makeup, most likely the only award it will win for the night if it keeps losing to "King Kong." \nJon Stewart makes his best joke of the night so far, about the giant statue behind him. "If we all pulled this down, will democracy prevail in Hollywood?" \nMorgan Freeman, an actual Oscar-winner, presents for Best Supporting Actress. I was happy with all these performances, and I knew Weisz would win, but watching that clip of Michelle Williams just further convinces me how disappointing it is that she has been losing to Weisz all year, and for other reason than that Weisz has been promoting herself all over Hollywood and the late-night TV circuit in an exhausting effort to make herself visible to the members of the academy. Well, the former "Mummy" star's work has paid off. Now maybe the grosses for "The Mummy 3" will sky-rocket. \nOk, this film noir ode is the BEST retrospective montage that I've ever seen the Oscars do. \nYAYAYAYAYAAY!!! Stephen Colbert is doing a bit, and it's making fun of all the best actress nominees. See, this is the kind of comedy that the Oscars need to do more often. \nIs it just me, or does Terrence Howard sound like a more intelligent Mike Tyson? \nBest Documentary (short subject)- Once again, I had to use my powers of recognizing Oscar-winning sounding names for my pick in this category, as I haven't seen any of the films in this category either. "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin" wins the statue. \nAnd the documentary feature is up. Ok, I'm boycotting this category this year. Just the fact the actual best documentary of the year "Grizzly Man" got screwed out of a nomination and some movies about wheelchair sports and penguins got nominated instead is reason enough to write off the entire category. The penguin movie wins, with the filmmakers hugging stuffed penguins on the stage during the acceptance speech. \nAnd Jennifer Lopez presents the "Crash" best song nominee, further adding credence to my theory regarding the Academy's picks for presenters this year. The nominee for "Crash" is "In the Deep," which Kathleen York (who is also a great actress I might add) is singing. And, OH MY GOD, there's some weird interpretive dance going on in the background, and OH MY GOD, it features dance versions of actual scenes from "Crash". Seriously, there's an African-American girl getting felt up by a cop, a burning car, etc… Just when you didn't think the Oscars could get any more shameless. Now that the multi-ethnic dancers have departed, we're going to a commercial break I was never so happy to see. \nThe "Speed" team is together again. Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves step up to deliver the Art Direction award. "Memoirs of a Geisha" carries away another visual award, and is deservedly recognized for its breathtaking attention to detail. \nHollywood finally recognizes its preoccupation with politically motivated films in a montage that is both reflective and appropriately timed. Some of the best films of all time are featured in the clips, the second best montage I've ever seen on the Oscars, next to the film noir montage of a half an hour ago. What are the odds? \nThis is cool. Violinist Itzhak Perlman plays pieces from each of the scores that are nominated. It seems they have gotten Selma Hayek to present this award because she can correctly pronounce the names of all the nominees. The Argentina-born Gustavo Santaolalla accepts the award with grace, paying tribute to the film "Brokeback Mountain," Ang Lee, and his mom. \nAnd wow, they've followed up the two best montages I've seen at the Oscars with the worst montage I've seen, ever. Jake Gyllenhaal does some weird pitch to save films from going extinct on the big screen at the hands of the explosive DVD revolution. I hate to break it to the Academy, but I think this is pretty much futile. \nAnd another Jon Stewart gem, "Wow, and later we will see an Oscar montage paying tribute to montages." \nJessica Alba and Eric Bana present the award for Best Sound Editing, which goes to "King Kong". It's a good time to be friends with Peter Jackson, all the winners for "King Kong" also won for "The Lord of the Rings". \nMeryl Streep and Lilly Tomlin do a little Abbot and Costello thing paying tribute to Robert Altman. Their fly-by-the minute duo works well, paying tribute to the great director. Altman is being awarded the honorary Oscar for his career in filmmaking - also because the Academy is guilty for having never given him an Oscar before. \nAnd the Oscars get the Grammy treatment with "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." Though the song doesn't strike me as particularly original, I must admit that female lead singer has one strong set of pipes. Wow. "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" actually wins. And true to the stereotypes, the camera zooms in on EVERY black person in the audience, on stage, some back stage, maybe there are some outside by the rope line they missed. \nWow, Jon Stewart is a god. His jokes just get better. "I think it just got easier out here for a pimp." \nAnother Stephen Colbert bit. Yes. \n"King Kong" wins for sound editing. Wow, shock there. \nGeorge Clooney introduces the "People Who've Died in the Last Year" retrospective. Robert Wise is dead? I had no idea… \nWill Smith presents the award for Best Foreign Film, which went to the South African film "Tsotsi," a surprise as the much-lauded "Paradise Now" seemed a shoe-in. "Tsotsi" Director Gavin Hood makes a great speech, paying tribute to his native country. \nJon Stewart: "For those of you keeping track, Martin Scorsese, 0 Oscars, 36 Mafia, 1." Best joke in Oscar history, thanks for keeping it all in perspective Jon. \nThe Money Category: Best Male Actor in a Lead Role \nThe much-anticipated Best Actor award is up, and we watch clips of all the best and most powerful male performances of the year. This is the best year in many years for lead actors, and the tie between Ledger and Hoffman ends in Hoffman's favor. Philip Seymour Hoffman has been one of the best actors in the film industry for over a decade. Sadly, it took an astonishing performance, as Truman Capote, for anyone to notice. More sadly, however, is the fact he finally won the award in a year he didn't deserve it. Ledger's performance was the best of the year, as once again, the Academy proves how wrong they often get it. \nJohn Travolta is up to present the award for Best Cinematographer. Now, I get that they need to get presenters that will draw viewers, a theme for this commentary, but I don't get why they choose ones that have absolutely nothing to do with the awards they're presenting. \nJamie Foxx is up to present the award for Best Actress. It's strange that in a year for such good acting from the men, there is such lackluster acting from women in lead roles. Reese Witherspoon's good performance wins over Felicity Huffman's amazing one, but that seems to be a theme tonight. Witherspoon thanks the writers, director, her co-star, mom and dad, etc… And the award for the most original Oscar acceptance speech goes to... \nDustin Hoffman presents the award for Best Adapted Screenplay, which thankfully goes to Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for "Brokeback Mountain". I get nine kinds of thrills when the writers who deserve to win actually do. Diana Ossana convinced Larry McMurtry to adapt the screenplay for "Brokeback Mountain" almost ten years ago, and the two come full circle tonight winning the Oscar for their brilliant screenplay. \nBest Original Screenplay goes to Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco for "Crash." It is no great surprise that the Oscar programmers rudely cut any chance Moresco had for a speech after Haggis finished, but the audience reaction from Charlize Theron and Terrence Howard is priceless. \nOscar veteran Tom Hanks presents the award for Best Director, which goes to the brilliant and incomparable Ang Lee. He has the best speech of the night so far, thanking Annie Proulx for her story and the indelible characters she created in Jack and Ennis. \nJack Nicholson, in true Jack Nicholson form, hams it up presenting the Oscar for best film. Luckily, we don't have to deal with him for long. And after Brokeback wins we can all, wait a minute, what did he just say? It sounded like it was too short to be Brokeback Mountain. Indeed, it sounded like a one-syllable word…I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!! CRASH????????? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?????? \nOk, I've been pacing around my room for the past ten minutes, have angrily phoned several people, and am ready to say something about this debacle. The Academy has forgone their sanity, and actually voted "Crash" the best film of the year. To be fair, the ensemble drama was a top-tier film that deserves to be considered a cinematic success. But honestly thinking that this film is superior, in any way, to "Brokeback Mountain," is a sign that the Academy has no desire to be taken seriously ever again. Not only has Brokeback been hailed as the best film of the year by most critical organizations, but it is quickly gaining a reputation as being one of the best films of all time. I don't know if the Oscars can ever win my trust back, cause for now, it looks like the Academy has lost my legitimate attention forever.
(02/23/06 5:00am)
"Freedomland" is a strange Hollywood product, but lately, not a rare one. It's three or four different movies masquerading as one wannabe box office smash. The trailer of the film, though murky, would lead you to believe it is a thriller with an interesting plot and human drama. The film doesn't shy away from those things. It's just that it's bold in too many other areas to make it work. \nIn the opening scene of the film, a haggard-looking Julianne Moore stumbles into a police station with bloody hands and a frantic plea for help. She claims her car was stolen while driving though a run-down urban part of town. Later, she tells Detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson) that her son was in the back seat.\nIt should be noted that both Moore and Jackson deliver the best performances they can with the material they have been given. There are several scenes in the film that work in and of themselves simply because of the good intentions of the actors. The supporting players are just as well-intentioned and reliable. Ron Eldard plays an embittered cop and proves he is versatile and capable of handling melodrama. Edie Falco is, of course, compelling and understated as a social worker who sticks her nose into the situation. \nIt is necessary to understand the main problem with the film and plot. Like the far-superior "Crash," "Freedomland" attempts to make a sweeping political statement about race relations in our society. Moore's character Brenda implicates her attacker as a young black man. This accusation, compounded with the crime taking place in the projects, incites racial tension in the community. \nBrenda's white suburban neighbors are angry that the child was kidnapped in the projects by a black man and see this as a symptom of crime having gone unchecked by the police. The black community is angered that the entire police force has mobilized to find the child, when many black youths have died in the same housing project with less enthusiasm from the cops to find the perpetrators. These problems are important and could have provided a compelling theme had they been handled properly. Unfortunately, the film has too much on its mind to pay enough attention to them. Conversely, when it does pay attention to these problems, we think the writers and director are finally coming around, and then we are mistakenly introduced to another plot thread. \nWithout giving the ending away, it is important to note that "big twist" endings are becoming tiresome and increasingly predictable. The twist ending here is a cheat. It will be misinterpreted by many as a testament to the darkest side of our society and of human nature. If the film had taken a more realistic stance here, the ending may have worked, and even compelled viewers to contemplate its overarching questions. Instead, it goes for the cheap thrills, which is usually a death sentence for any film.
(02/23/06 5:00am)
"Nine Lives," the new feature from Rodrigo Garcia, breaks new ground by using a familiar idea. It's nine vignettes are reminiscent of past ensemble works like "Magnolia" and the recent "Crash." \nBut "Crash" and "Magnolia" involve story lines that are told in a kind of rotation, "Nine Lives" is linear and straightforward, leading from one story into the next, without looking back. Most films get two hours to say something and don't say nearly as much as Garcia does in the 12-minute sub-sects of this film. Some of the pieces are more emotionally resonant than others, but woven together, they create a tapestry so complete that the film becomes transcendent.\nEach of the nine lives refers to a woman's life, but this is in no way a "chick flick." Director Garcia (son of Nobel-prize winning writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez) has treaded here before with his other compelling works "Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" and "Ten Tiny Love Stories." He likes to tell stories about complex, interesting women dealing with the complications they have made in their own lives. He does this with observation and dialogue so keen and realistic that his films succeed every time. \nThe film opens with a female prisoner having a crucial fight with her young daughter. The second vignette is probably the most critically acclaimed, featuring Robin Wright Penn and Jason Isaacs as two old lovers running into one another at a grocery store and saying important things that have been lingering for many years. Other sequences include the fears of a cancer patient and the stresses of a middle-aged woman caring for her dying husband. The cast is large but able; every character is clearly defined and well-acted. \nThe DVD has many interesting bonus features but is sadly lacking a commentary track by Garcia or the actors. The best feature is the 71-minute footage of a panel discussion with some of the actors and Garcia at the Strasberg Institute. Other bonuses include several worthwhile short featurettes on the making of the film and some trailers of upcoming independent releases. \nThe DVD doesn't feature anything extraordinary, but the film itself is enough to make up for what it lacks. It has been called one of the best films of the year by more than one critic and deserves a place as one of the best ensemble pieces in recent years.
(02/22/06 11:19pm)
"Nine Lives," the new feature from Rodrigo Garcia, breaks new ground by using a familiar idea. It's nine vignettes are reminiscent of past ensemble works like "Magnolia" and the recent "Crash." \nBut "Crash" and "Magnolia" involve story lines that are told in a kind of rotation, "Nine Lives" is linear and straightforward, leading from one story into the next, without looking back. Most films get two hours to say something and don't say nearly as much as Garcia does in the 12-minute sub-sects of this film. Some of the pieces are more emotionally resonant than others, but woven together, they create a tapestry so complete that the film becomes transcendent.\nEach of the nine lives refers to a woman's life, but this is in no way a "chick flick." Director Garcia (son of Nobel-prize winning writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez) has treaded here before with his other compelling works "Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" and "Ten Tiny Love Stories." He likes to tell stories about complex, interesting women dealing with the complications they have made in their own lives. He does this with observation and dialogue so keen and realistic that his films succeed every time. \nThe film opens with a female prisoner having a crucial fight with her young daughter. The second vignette is probably the most critically acclaimed, featuring Robin Wright Penn and Jason Isaacs as two old lovers running into one another at a grocery store and saying important things that have been lingering for many years. Other sequences include the fears of a cancer patient and the stresses of a middle-aged woman caring for her dying husband. The cast is large but able; every character is clearly defined and well-acted. \nThe DVD has many interesting bonus features but is sadly lacking a commentary track by Garcia or the actors. The best feature is the 71-minute footage of a panel discussion with some of the actors and Garcia at the Strasberg Institute. Other bonuses include several worthwhile short featurettes on the making of the film and some trailers of upcoming independent releases. \nThe DVD doesn't feature anything extraordinary, but the film itself is enough to make up for what it lacks. It has been called one of the best films of the year by more than one critic and deserves a place as one of the best ensemble pieces in recent years.
(02/22/06 10:52pm)
"Freedomland" is a strange Hollywood product, but lately, not a rare one. It's three or four different movies masquerading as one wannabe box office smash. The trailer of the film, though murky, would lead you to believe it is a thriller with an interesting plot and human drama. The film doesn't shy away from those things. It's just that it's bold in too many other areas to make it work. \nIn the opening scene of the film, a haggard-looking Julianne Moore stumbles into a police station with bloody hands and a frantic plea for help. She claims her car was stolen while driving though a run-down urban part of town. Later, she tells Detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson) that her son was in the back seat.\nIt should be noted that both Moore and Jackson deliver the best performances they can with the material they have been given. There are several scenes in the film that work in and of themselves simply because of the good intentions of the actors. The supporting players are just as well-intentioned and reliable. Ron Eldard plays an embittered cop and proves he is versatile and capable of handling melodrama. Edie Falco is, of course, compelling and understated as a social worker who sticks her nose into the situation. \nIt is necessary to understand the main problem with the film and plot. Like the far-superior "Crash," "Freedomland" attempts to make a sweeping political statement about race relations in our society. Moore's character Brenda implicates her attacker as a young black man. This accusation, compounded with the crime taking place in the projects, incites racial tension in the community. \nBrenda's white suburban neighbors are angry that the child was kidnapped in the projects by a black man and see this as a symptom of crime having gone unchecked by the police. The black community is angered that the entire police force has mobilized to find the child, when many black youths have died in the same housing project with less enthusiasm from the cops to find the perpetrators. These problems are important and could have provided a compelling theme had they been handled properly. Unfortunately, the film has too much on its mind to pay enough attention to them. Conversely, when it does pay attention to these problems, we think the writers and director are finally coming around, and then we are mistakenly introduced to another plot thread. \nWithout giving the ending away, it is important to note that "big twist" endings are becoming tiresome and increasingly predictable. The twist ending here is a cheat. It will be misinterpreted by many as a testament to the darkest side of our society and of human nature. If the film had taken a more realistic stance here, the ending may have worked, and even compelled viewers to contemplate its overarching questions. Instead, it goes for the cheap thrills, which is usually a death sentence for any film.
(02/02/06 5:00am)
The 1960s were a time of great cultural change, both in America and abroad. The film community saw classics born, and the world watched with awe at a new band of filmmakers accurately labeled "auteurs," the authors of the new cinematic generation. Ingmar Bergman is one of the pinnacle filmmakers of that generation and possibly of all time. \nWhen Bergman released "The Virgin Spring," it was received by the cosmopolitan left as an instant classic, an astonishing tale of tragedy and love. However, mainstream values didn't quite coincide with some of the film's more graphic elements, and so it did not initially fare well in the U.S. However, after winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film at the 1961 Oscar ceremony, it propelled to worldwide success.\nThe story is based on a classic Swedish folk tale called Töre's Daughter at Vange, about a young girl named Karin who is raped and murdered on her way to church to deliver sacramental candles to the Virgin Mary. Scandinavian legend has it that after this atrocious event, a spring burst forth from under the ground where she lay dead. The spring promised to renew and cleanse all those who came to it wishing their sins against God to be forgiven. \nWhat follows is a parable of despair and redemption, beautiful in its depiction of a torn father whose grief and desire for revenge threatens to destroy him. Played brilliantly by frequent Bergman collaborator Max Von Sydow, Töre is the core of the story, a strong and forceful presence whose actions invoke contemplation and wonder. \nThe new Criterion DVD edition of "The Virgin Spring" takes the viewer into the world of the film. It offers two features essential to any Bergman fan: a lengthy audio interview conducted for The American Film Institute, and interviews with Bergman's actresses Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson. It also includes the original folk tale, some new essays by renowned film scholars and a worthwhile commentary track. \nBut perhaps the most enticing special feature is the new introduction by filmmaker Ang Lee. One of the great qualities of the Criterion filmmaker introductions is the window into the contemporary filmmaker's world by seeing and hearing them talk about the classic directors that influenced them. In the intro, Lee cites "The Virgin Spring" as the first art film he had ever seen, and one that had a profound impact on his life and work. For anyone who's familiar with Lee's repertoire, especially "Brokeback Mountain," this segment is pivotal in understanding his filmmaking inspirations.
(02/02/06 12:20am)
The 1960s were a time of great cultural change, both in America and abroad. The film community saw classics born, and the world watched with awe at a new band of filmmakers accurately labeled "auteurs," the authors of the new cinematic generation. Ingmar Bergman is one of the pinnacle filmmakers of that generation and possibly of all time. \nWhen Bergman released "The Virgin Spring," it was received by the cosmopolitan left as an instant classic, an astonishing tale of tragedy and love. However, mainstream values didn't quite coincide with some of the film's more graphic elements, and so it did not initially fare well in the U.S. However, after winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film at the 1961 Oscar ceremony, it propelled to worldwide success.\nThe story is based on a classic Swedish folk tale called Töre's Daughter at Vange, about a young girl named Karin who is raped and murdered on her way to church to deliver sacramental candles to the Virgin Mary. Scandinavian legend has it that after this atrocious event, a spring burst forth from under the ground where she lay dead. The spring promised to renew and cleanse all those who came to it wishing their sins against God to be forgiven. \nWhat follows is a parable of despair and redemption, beautiful in its depiction of a torn father whose grief and desire for revenge threatens to destroy him. Played brilliantly by frequent Bergman collaborator Max Von Sydow, Töre is the core of the story, a strong and forceful presence whose actions invoke contemplation and wonder. \nThe new Criterion DVD edition of "The Virgin Spring" takes the viewer into the world of the film. It offers two features essential to any Bergman fan: a lengthy audio interview conducted for The American Film Institute, and interviews with Bergman's actresses Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson. It also includes the original folk tale, some new essays by renowned film scholars and a worthwhile commentary track. \nBut perhaps the most enticing special feature is the new introduction by filmmaker Ang Lee. One of the great qualities of the Criterion filmmaker introductions is the window into the contemporary filmmaker's world by seeing and hearing them talk about the classic directors that influenced them. In the intro, Lee cites "The Virgin Spring" as the first art film he had ever seen, and one that had a profound impact on his life and work. For anyone who's familiar with Lee's repertoire, especially "Brokeback Mountain," this segment is pivotal in understanding his filmmaking inspirations.
(01/12/06 5:00am)
There are typical love stories and then there are actual love stories. Every once in a great while, someone makes an actual love story into a film. Ang Lee's ("The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") "Brokeback Mountain" is the type of actual love story that might leave you breathless. \nLee has been a filmmaking acrobat from day one of his directing career, leaping from genre to genre with the fluidity of a professional gymnast. His films have explored people in love in different eras, countries and social circumstances. He has been successful because he has attempted to show the nature of love by focusing on characters and their individual stories, making them real and complex. "Brokeback Mountain" is triumphantly his best love story to date and the best film of the year. \nThe film observes the lives of two men, ranch hands Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist. Jack and Ennis meet in the beginning of the summer of 1963, after they are hired to watch and herd sheep in a remote Wyoming mountain.\nThere is an early scene in which the two cowboys are idling around a campfire after sunset and the conversation turns to the more withdrawn Ennis. After telling Jack some of the more important details of his life, Jack remarks that Ennis hasn't spoken that much in two weeks, and Ennis replies, "That's more than I've spoken in two years." In that moment, we understand how they begin to fall in love, and how difficult it will be for them both.\nThrough the course of the summer, they come to know each other as people and this leads to an undeniable attraction. Their first sexual encounter is liquor-fueled and desperate, and leaves both feeling a sense of unexplainable guilt. Soon, however, they accept their mutual feelings for one another and agree to keep their affair to themselves and Brokeback Mountain.\nWhen their summer is over, they continue the lives they had before. The story is honest, and therefore shows the men in the imperfect lives they force themselves to lead. They marry and have kids, as they believe they should. \nThey miss each other too much to stay apart however and, through the years, they continue their relationship by meeting two or three times a year, always on Brokeback and in secret. \nAs Jack Twist, Jake Gyllenhaal is sensitive and naïve at times, the more charismatic of the two. His performance is very good, and he plays well off Heath Ledger's Ennis, delivering some of the most powerful lines in the film.\nHowever, the most stunning performance of the year belongs to Ledger, as the strong and willful Ennis. He disappears entirely into the role, affecting the voice, manner and absolutely sad nature of the character. This is the role of a lifetime, and Ledger is brilliant in it. \nAs I watched this film, I was reminded of the adage, "whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." For this story, that "whatever" is the secret these men have to keep. Having to live without the love of your life is sad, but is tragic when it's because the world won't accept that love for what it is.
(01/12/06 1:52am)
There are typical love stories and then there are actual love stories. Every once in a great while, someone makes an actual love story into a film. Ang Lee's ("The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") "Brokeback Mountain" is the type of actual love story that might leave you breathless. \nLee has been a filmmaking acrobat from day one of his directing career, leaping from genre to genre with the fluidity of a professional gymnast. His films have explored people in love in different eras, countries and social circumstances. He has been successful because he has attempted to show the nature of love by focusing on characters and their individual stories, making them real and complex. "Brokeback Mountain" is triumphantly his best love story to date and the best film of the year. \nThe film observes the lives of two men, ranch hands Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist. Jack and Ennis meet in the beginning of the summer of 1963, after they are hired to watch and herd sheep in a remote Wyoming mountain.\nThere is an early scene in which the two cowboys are idling around a campfire after sunset and the conversation turns to the more withdrawn Ennis. After telling Jack some of the more important details of his life, Jack remarks that Ennis hasn't spoken that much in two weeks, and Ennis replies, "That's more than I've spoken in two years." In that moment, we understand how they begin to fall in love, and how difficult it will be for them both.\nThrough the course of the summer, they come to know each other as people and this leads to an undeniable attraction. Their first sexual encounter is liquor-fueled and desperate, and leaves both feeling a sense of unexplainable guilt. Soon, however, they accept their mutual feelings for one another and agree to keep their affair to themselves and Brokeback Mountain.\nWhen their summer is over, they continue the lives they had before. The story is honest, and therefore shows the men in the imperfect lives they force themselves to lead. They marry and have kids, as they believe they should. \nThey miss each other too much to stay apart however and, through the years, they continue their relationship by meeting two or three times a year, always on Brokeback and in secret. \nAs Jack Twist, Jake Gyllenhaal is sensitive and naïve at times, the more charismatic of the two. His performance is very good, and he plays well off Heath Ledger's Ennis, delivering some of the most powerful lines in the film.\nHowever, the most stunning performance of the year belongs to Ledger, as the strong and willful Ennis. He disappears entirely into the role, affecting the voice, manner and absolutely sad nature of the character. This is the role of a lifetime, and Ledger is brilliant in it. \nAs I watched this film, I was reminded of the adage, "whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." For this story, that "whatever" is the secret these men have to keep. Having to live without the love of your life is sad, but is tragic when it's because the world won't accept that love for what it is.
(01/12/06 12:29am)
There are typical love stories and then there are actual love stories. Every once in a great while, someone makes an actual love story into a film. Ang Lee's ("The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") "Brokeback Mountain" is the type of actual love story that might leave you breathless. \nLee has been a filmmaking acrobat from day one of his directing career, leaping from genre to genre with the fluidity of a professional gymnast. His films have explored people in love in different eras, countries and social circumstances. He has been successful because he has attempted to show the nature of love by focusing on characters and their individual stories, making them real and complex. "Brokeback Mountain" is triumphantly his best love story to date and the best film of the year. \nThe film observes the lives of two men, ranch hands Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist. Jack and Ennis meet in the beginning of the summer of 1963, after they are hired to watch and herd sheep in a remote Wyoming mountain.\nThere is an early scene in which the two cowboys are idling around a campfire after sunset and the conversation turns to the more withdrawn Ennis. After telling Jack some of the more important details of his life, Jack remarks that Ennis hasn't spoken that much in two weeks, and Ennis replies, "That's more than I've spoken in two years." In that moment, we understand how they begin to fall in love, and how difficult it will be for them both.\nThrough the course of the summer, they come to know each other as people and this leads to an undeniable attraction. Their first sexual encounter is liquor-fueled and desperate, and leaves both feeling a sense of unexplainable guilt. Soon, however, they accept their mutual feelings for one another and agree to keep their affair to themselves and Brokeback Mountain.\nWhen their summer is over, they continue the lives they had before. The story is honest, and therefore shows the men in the imperfect lives they force themselves to lead. They marry and have kids, as they believe they should. \nThey miss each other too much to stay apart however and, through the years, they continue their relationship by meeting two or three times a year, always on Brokeback and in secret. \nAs Jack Twist, Jake Gyllenhaal is sensitive and naïve at times, the more charismatic of the two. His performance is very good, and he plays well off Heath Ledger's Ennis, delivering some of the most powerful lines in the film.\nHowever, the most stunning performance of the year belongs to Ledger, as the strong and willful Ennis. He disappears entirely into the role, affecting the voice, manner and absolutely sad nature of the character. This is the role of a lifetime, and Ledger is brilliant in it. \nAs I watched this film, I was reminded of the adage, "whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." For this story, that "whatever" is the secret these men have to keep. Having to live without the love of your life is sad, but is tragic when it's because the world won't accept that love for what it is.
(01/11/06 5:00am)
There are typical love stories and then there are actual love stories. Every once in a great while, someone makes an actual love story into a film. Ang Lee's ("The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") "Brokeback Mountain" is the type of actual love story that might leave you breathless. \nLee has been a filmmaking acrobat from day one of his directing career, leaping from genre to genre with the fluidity of a professional gymnast. His films have explored people in love in different eras, countries and social circumstances. He has been successful because he has attempted to show the nature of love by focusing on characters and their individual stories, making them real and complex. "Brokeback Mountain" is triumphantly his best love story to date and the best film of the year. \nThe film observes the lives of two men, ranch hands Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist. Jack and Ennis meet in the beginning of the summer of 1963, after they are hired to watch and herd sheep in a remote Wyoming mountain.\nThere is an early scene in which the two cowboys are idling around a campfire after sunset and the conversation turns to the more withdrawn Ennis. After telling Jack some of the more important details of his life, Jack remarks that Ennis hasn't spoken that much in two weeks, and Ennis replies, "That's more than I've spoken in two years." In that moment, we understand how they begin to fall in love, and how difficult it will be for them both.\nThrough the course of the summer, they come to know each other as people and this leads to an undeniable attraction. Their first sexual encounter is liquor-fueled and desperate, and leaves both feeling a sense of unexplainable guilt. Soon, however, they accept their mutual feelings for one another and agree to keep their affair to themselves and Brokeback Mountain.\nWhen their summer is over, they continue the lives they had before. The story is honest, and therefore shows the men in the imperfect lives they force themselves to lead. They marry and have kids, as they believe they should. \nThey miss each other too much to stay apart however and, through the years, they continue their relationship by meeting two or three times a year, always on Brokeback and in secret. \nAs Jack Twist, Jake Gyllenhaal is sensitive and naïve at times, the more charismatic of the two. His performance is very good, and he plays well off Heath Ledger's Ennis, delivering some of the most powerful lines in the film.\nHowever, the most stunning performance of the year belongs to Ledger, as the strong and willful Ennis. He disappears entirely into the role, affecting the voice, manner and absolutely sad nature of the character. This is the role of a lifetime, and Ledger is brilliant in it. \nAs I watched this film, I was reminded of the adage, "whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." For this story, that "whatever" is the secret these men have to keep. Having to live without the love of your life is sad, but is tragic when it's because the world won't accept that love for what it is.
(12/08/05 5:00am)
With the exception of the BBC's 1995 version of "Pride and Prejudice," I have never seen a film adapted from a Jane Austen novel that was quite worthy of the author's original work. The smart adapters realize they can not duplicate the original Austen and instead reinterpret the material into something of an Austen tribute, combined with their own take on the material. Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility" achieved just this. However, that's not the case with the newly released "Pride and Prejudice," an amalgam of Austen's wit, and a modern romantic sensibility that is too strong to overlook.\nThe plot concerns the Bennet family, who live in a country house in England. The mother of the family is a comical gem, occupying herself almost entirely with the business of marrying off her five daughters. Their father is a kind and quiet man, played wonderfully by Donald Sutherland. \nWhen a wealthy young man named Bingley comes to town, it is immediately accepted that he will be paired with one of the Bennet sisters. At a town ball, he meets and is enchanted by the "pretty" eldest sister Jane. He brings with him his arrogant friend Mr. Darcy, another well-to-do gentleman, played by Matthew MacFadyen. \nAt the party, Mr. Darcy is introduced to Elizabeth, the second eldest daughter, whom he finds plain and simple. Elizabeth is not guarded in her opinion of him either; she detests his arrogance and has no intention of spending more time on him than she has to. Part of the genius of Austen's love story is its admittance that the two main lovers truly do hate each other upon their first meeting. The fun of the story is watching how, by being thrown together over time, the two people interact with one another and discover who the other person really is. In the book, this is done in brilliantly written sequences, with Elizabeth and Darcy swapping words and wit. \nIn this film, it seems director Joe Wright is more concerned with getting straight to the "love stuff," and skipping much of the initial scenes that lead the audience to discover why Darcy falls for Lizzie in the first place. To be sure, some of the original dialogue is intact, but these parts are over too quickly, and the audience is left to wait impatiently for Lizzie to come to her senses and fall for Darcy. \nElizabeth Bennet is widely recognized as one of classic literature's great heroines. In Austen's work, she is intelligent, witty, graceful and courageous. Keira Knightley portrays the character with an appealing kind of charm, but doesn't quite attain the level of complexity belonging to the classic Lizzie. For the latter two-thirds of the film, she is too often standing still and staring at things happening with a kind of wonder on her face, looking picturesque, but not saying much. \nHowever, this is really nothing compared to a few well-composed, but obviously lingering, shots that exist solely to enhance MacFadyen's roguish sex appeal: Mr. Darcy riding a horse, Mr. Darcy pacing a room, Mr. Darcy walking in a field in the morning light: wash, rinse, repeat. \nThere are several problems with the film, and conversely, several reasons why the film works on many levels. But the main problem is this: They make it look like Darcy can't explain why he's fallen for Lizzie, when he's supposed to know perfectly well why he has. She is the only person he has ever known like her, and that's a person just like him.
(12/08/05 2:21am)
With the exception of the BBC's 1995 version of "Pride and Prejudice," I have never seen a film adapted from a Jane Austen novel that was quite worthy of the author's original work. The smart adapters realize they can not duplicate the original Austen and instead reinterpret the material into something of an Austen tribute, combined with their own take on the material. Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility" achieved just this. However, that's not the case with the newly released "Pride and Prejudice," an amalgam of Austen's wit, and a modern romantic sensibility that is too strong to overlook.\nThe plot concerns the Bennet family, who live in a country house in England. The mother of the family is a comical gem, occupying herself almost entirely with the business of marrying off her five daughters. Their father is a kind and quiet man, played wonderfully by Donald Sutherland. \nWhen a wealthy young man named Bingley comes to town, it is immediately accepted that he will be paired with one of the Bennet sisters. At a town ball, he meets and is enchanted by the "pretty" eldest sister Jane. He brings with him his arrogant friend Mr. Darcy, another well-to-do gentleman, played by Matthew MacFadyen. \nAt the party, Mr. Darcy is introduced to Elizabeth, the second eldest daughter, whom he finds plain and simple. Elizabeth is not guarded in her opinion of him either; she detests his arrogance and has no intention of spending more time on him than she has to. Part of the genius of Austen's love story is its admittance that the two main lovers truly do hate each other upon their first meeting. The fun of the story is watching how, by being thrown together over time, the two people interact with one another and discover who the other person really is. In the book, this is done in brilliantly written sequences, with Elizabeth and Darcy swapping words and wit. \nIn this film, it seems director Joe Wright is more concerned with getting straight to the "love stuff," and skipping much of the initial scenes that lead the audience to discover why Darcy falls for Lizzie in the first place. To be sure, some of the original dialogue is intact, but these parts are over too quickly, and the audience is left to wait impatiently for Lizzie to come to her senses and fall for Darcy. \nElizabeth Bennet is widely recognized as one of classic literature's great heroines. In Austen's work, she is intelligent, witty, graceful and courageous. Keira Knightley portrays the character with an appealing kind of charm, but doesn't quite attain the level of complexity belonging to the classic Lizzie. For the latter two-thirds of the film, she is too often standing still and staring at things happening with a kind of wonder on her face, looking picturesque, but not saying much. \nHowever, this is really nothing compared to a few well-composed, but obviously lingering, shots that exist solely to enhance MacFadyen's roguish sex appeal: Mr. Darcy riding a horse, Mr. Darcy pacing a room, Mr. Darcy walking in a field in the morning light: wash, rinse, repeat. \nThere are several problems with the film, and conversely, several reasons why the film works on many levels. But the main problem is this: They make it look like Darcy can't explain why he's fallen for Lizzie, when he's supposed to know perfectly well why he has. She is the only person he has ever known like her, and that's a person just like him.
(11/17/05 7:47pm)
Chris Van Allsburg is quite possibly one of the most inventive children's authors of all time. His stories combine artistry with fantastical story elements in a way that is breathtaking.\n"Jumanji," a 1994 Robin Williams vehicle based on Van Allsburg's book, was a special effects bonanza featuring a board game that sucked its players into an African jungle. It is fair to say that Jon Favreau's adaptation of Van Allsburg's "Zathura" is basically "Jumanji" in space.\nThe story is decent and will hold the attention of most viewers under the age of 13. But the film is addled with simplistic plot developments, flat dialogue and a few too many sibling spats that can quickly wear on the viewer's patience.\nBrothers Danny and Walter don't get along. At all. In fact, they fight so much and so often that it's a wonder both have lived long enough to have this adventure together. When the younger brother, Danny, finds a board game in the basement of the house their father had just bought, he tries to persuade Walter to spend his Sunday playing it with him. When Walter refuses, Danny sadly resigns himself to playing the game alone, and is impressed when the game ejects a card reading "Meteor Shower: Take Evasive Action." \nSuffice it to say, the card is to be taken literally. Meteors shoot through the roof, taking care not to hit the boys, all while the house is launched like a rocket into outer space. After several sci-fi mishaps, more bickering and an attempt to convince their older sister Lisa that the house is indeed floating in outer space, the brothers continue playing the game in the hopes that finishing it will allow them to go back to Earth. They are soon joined by a stranded astronaut; the strong, good-looking, wise-cracking hero shows up halfway through the film. \nHenceforth, the boys, the astronaut and their sister Lisa (cryogenically frozen for half the movie) are faced with an alien invasion, an inconveniently programmed robot and the unlikely prospect of their ever returning to the suburbs. \nTo be fair, the astronaut character (Dax Shepherd) is interesting and funny, if not just fun to look at. The sister, played by brilliant young actress Kristen Stewart, is criminally underused but cute and believable just the same. \nAlso, several of the scenes between Danny and Walter do possess a note of truth in their portrayal of brotherly rivalry and contempt. But this concept is beaten in the ground with such a heavy stick that it's hard to care about all the way through the movie. And if that's going to be the prevailing storyline, it ought to be a little more compelling and a little less irritating.
(11/17/05 5:00am)
Chris Van Allsburg is quite possibly one of the most inventive children's authors of all time. His stories combine artistry with fantastical story elements in a way that is breathtaking.\n"Jumanji," a 1994 Robin Williams vehicle based on Van Allsburg's book, was a special effects bonanza featuring a board game that sucked its players into an African jungle. It is fair to say that Jon Favreau's adaptation of Van Allsburg's "Zathura" is basically "Jumanji" in space.\nThe story is decent and will hold the attention of most viewers under the age of 13. But the film is addled with simplistic plot developments, flat dialogue and a few too many sibling spats that can quickly wear on the viewer's patience.\nBrothers Danny and Walter don't get along. At all. In fact, they fight so much and so often that it's a wonder both have lived long enough to have this adventure together. When the younger brother, Danny, finds a board game in the basement of the house their father had just bought, he tries to persuade Walter to spend his Sunday playing it with him. When Walter refuses, Danny sadly resigns himself to playing the game alone, and is impressed when the game ejects a card reading "Meteor Shower: Take Evasive Action." \nSuffice it to say, the card is to be taken literally. Meteors shoot through the roof, taking care not to hit the boys, all while the house is launched like a rocket into outer space. After several sci-fi mishaps, more bickering and an attempt to convince their older sister Lisa that the house is indeed floating in outer space, the brothers continue playing the game in the hopes that finishing it will allow them to go back to Earth. They are soon joined by a stranded astronaut; the strong, good-looking, wise-cracking hero shows up halfway through the film. \nHenceforth, the boys, the astronaut and their sister Lisa (cryogenically frozen for half the movie) are faced with an alien invasion, an inconveniently programmed robot and the unlikely prospect of their ever returning to the suburbs. \nTo be fair, the astronaut character (Dax Shepherd) is interesting and funny, if not just fun to look at. The sister, played by brilliant young actress Kristen Stewart, is criminally underused but cute and believable just the same. \nAlso, several of the scenes between Danny and Walter do possess a note of truth in their portrayal of brotherly rivalry and contempt. But this concept is beaten in the ground with such a heavy stick that it's hard to care about all the way through the movie. And if that's going to be the prevailing storyline, it ought to be a little more compelling and a little less irritating.
(11/10/05 5:00am)
"An Angel at My Table" is a rare commodity: a film about a woman saved by her work. It's an uncommon scenario in today's films, where most narratives insist people can only be saved by each other. \nThe film follows the life of Janet Frame, an English prodigy, from her childhood into adult years where she is hospitalized for schizophrenia. She then remains in the psych ward for eight years, not because she is crazy, but because she is paralyzed by her own fear of the outside world. Her way to heal herself is by writing stories and poems, which eventually free her from her self-made prison. \nJanet Frame was one of New Zealand's foremost literary figures. She was acclaimed for her poetry, short stories and novels, and received worldwide attention upon completion of her three-part autobiography. Known for being a recluse, disinterested in public fame, she intrigued young filmmaker Jane Campion.\nInitially contrived for TV, Campion had no idea the project would eventually be released at film festivals. After receiving several awards, she allowed the movie to be released internationally. \nIt was critically acclaimed and remains one of Campion's greatest successes, her greatest success being the hyper-erotic Holly Hunter vehicle "The Piano." There are several things, however, that set this film apart from the mythical, eerie storytelling of her later work. It's simple, sad and slow. It's imperfect in its pacing, tending to drag at times. But the intent of the film remains intact, and its power is indisputable. It tells the story of a life, a task that cannot be done if a filmmaker is in a rush.\nThe Criterion version of the film includes several worthwhile features. The commentary by Campion, cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh and lead actress Kerry Fox is involving and reveals some of Campion's most notable working techniques. It includes some deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, a stills gallery, the original trailer and a 40-page book. But the most valuable feature is the 23-minute radio interview with Janet Frame. Frame rarely spoke publicly, and this 1984 interview is highly revealing of her life and work. \nFrame said in her interview she rejected the public fascination with her private life, preferring instead to be gratified by the fact that so much of her fiction was popular. Campion put it best when she said though her stories were beautiful, it seems she didn't know her best story was the one she wrote about herself.
(11/10/05 1:46am)
"An Angel at My Table" is a rare commodity: a film about a woman saved by her work. It's an uncommon scenario in today's films, where most narratives insist people can only be saved by each other. \nThe film follows the life of Janet Frame, an English prodigy, from her childhood into adult years where she is hospitalized for schizophrenia. She then remains in the psych ward for eight years, not because she is crazy, but because she is paralyzed by her own fear of the outside world. Her way to heal herself is by writing stories and poems, which eventually free her from her self-made prison. \nJanet Frame was one of New Zealand's foremost literary figures. She was acclaimed for her poetry, short stories and novels, and received worldwide attention upon completion of her three-part autobiography. Known for being a recluse, disinterested in public fame, she intrigued young filmmaker Jane Campion.\nInitially contrived for TV, Campion had no idea the project would eventually be released at film festivals. After receiving several awards, she allowed the movie to be released internationally. \nIt was critically acclaimed and remains one of Campion's greatest successes, her greatest success being the hyper-erotic Holly Hunter vehicle "The Piano." There are several things, however, that set this film apart from the mythical, eerie storytelling of her later work. It's simple, sad and slow. It's imperfect in its pacing, tending to drag at times. But the intent of the film remains intact, and its power is indisputable. It tells the story of a life, a task that cannot be done if a filmmaker is in a rush.\nThe Criterion version of the film includes several worthwhile features. The commentary by Campion, cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh and lead actress Kerry Fox is involving and reveals some of Campion's most notable working techniques. It includes some deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, a stills gallery, the original trailer and a 40-page book. But the most valuable feature is the 23-minute radio interview with Janet Frame. Frame rarely spoke publicly, and this 1984 interview is highly revealing of her life and work. \nFrame said in her interview she rejected the public fascination with her private life, preferring instead to be gratified by the fact that so much of her fiction was popular. Campion put it best when she said though her stories were beautiful, it seems she didn't know her best story was the one she wrote about herself.
(10/13/05 4:00am)
I've seen Mike Leigh's "Naked" almost a dozen times and I still can't describe how good it is. It gets better each time I see it, and I learn more each time I see it. \nWhen it debuted in 1993, its reception was, to put it mildly, mixed. Critics didn't dispute that it was a valuable film, but some viewed its protagonist, Johnny, as misogynistic, rambling and over-dramatic. To be fair, Johnny does possess a certain violent discontent with the world, which seems to manifest itself in his careless treatment of women. \nIn the commentary track accompanying the recent Criterion release, Mike Leigh intones his intention wasn't to shock audiences with Johnny's behavior, which includes more than one sadistic sexual encounter, but rather to fully and intricately observe one man and the complexity of his life. In my humble opinion, he succeeded in making one of the best films of the 90's, if not of all time. \nThankfully, the good people of Criterion have selected "Naked" as one of this year's releases. For anyone not familiar with The Criterion Collection, get acquainted quickly, even you don't know your favorite film as well as they do. Their mission is to enhance and expand upon the world's best films and they make the DVD experience what it should be. \nFor "Naked," they put together a commentary track that includes director Mike Leigh, actor David Thewlis (Johnny) and the sadly deceased actress Katrin Cartlidge, who portrays one of the film's main characters. This is somewhat impressive being that the track was recorded in 1994, before DVDs were the ancillary phenomenon they are now. Also included is an interview with filmmaker Neil LaBute, and an episode from a BBC series called "The Conversation," where author Will Self talks extensively with Leigh about his body of work.\nBut the most enjoyable special feature is a 20-minute short titled "The Short and Curlies," a hilarious film Leigh made in the late eighties. The short marked his first collaboration with David Thewlis, who plays a wisecracking customer at a local drugstore, where he just happens to be in love with the shop girl.\nThewlis is nothing short of magnificent in "Naked," for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. His performance is all the more remarkable when you consider he improvised almost all his lines in special pre-production sessions with Leigh. As Leigh put it in the commentary, his films are "whittled down" from initial improvisations with his actors, whose words are then transcribed and made into a script. For "Naked," Leigh worked painstakingly and from the inside out; the result was his masterpiece.
(10/13/05 2:48am)
I've seen Mike Leigh's "Naked" almost a dozen times and I still can't describe how good it is. It gets better each time I see it, and I learn more each time I see it. \nWhen it debuted in 1993, its reception was, to put it mildly, mixed. Critics didn't dispute that it was a valuable film, but some viewed its protagonist, Johnny, as misogynistic, rambling and over-dramatic. To be fair, Johnny does possess a certain violent discontent with the world, which seems to manifest itself in his careless treatment of women. \nIn the commentary track accompanying the recent Criterion release, Mike Leigh intones his intention wasn't to shock audiences with Johnny's behavior, which includes more than one sadistic sexual encounter, but rather to fully and intricately observe one man and the complexity of his life. In my humble opinion, he succeeded in making one of the best films of the 90's, if not of all time. \nThankfully, the good people of Criterion have selected "Naked" as one of this year's releases. For anyone not familiar with The Criterion Collection, get acquainted quickly, even you don't know your favorite film as well as they do. Their mission is to enhance and expand upon the world's best films and they make the DVD experience what it should be. \nFor "Naked," they put together a commentary track that includes director Mike Leigh, actor David Thewlis (Johnny) and the sadly deceased actress Katrin Cartlidge, who portrays one of the film's main characters. This is somewhat impressive being that the track was recorded in 1994, before DVDs were the ancillary phenomenon they are now. Also included is an interview with filmmaker Neil LaBute, and an episode from a BBC series called "The Conversation," where author Will Self talks extensively with Leigh about his body of work.\nBut the most enjoyable special feature is a 20-minute short titled "The Short and Curlies," a hilarious film Leigh made in the late eighties. The short marked his first collaboration with David Thewlis, who plays a wisecracking customer at a local drugstore, where he just happens to be in love with the shop girl.\nThewlis is nothing short of magnificent in "Naked," for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. His performance is all the more remarkable when you consider he improvised almost all his lines in special pre-production sessions with Leigh. As Leigh put it in the commentary, his films are "whittled down" from initial improvisations with his actors, whose words are then transcribed and made into a script. For "Naked," Leigh worked painstakingly and from the inside out; the result was his masterpiece.
(09/22/05 4:00am)
In the romantic comedy "Just Like Heaven," ever-affable good-natured Mark Ruffalo moves into a "haunted" apartment in San Francisco. Its view and privately accessible rooftop make the place a mouth-watering find, though one does pause to wonder how he can see all of San Francisco from a third-story walk-up. Its only apparent drawback is a control freak spirit who keeps insisting he is invading her home and must move out immediately. \nTo back up a bit, we learn at the beginning of the film that the control freak, played by Reese Witherspoon, is a doctor at a local hospital. After being made an attending physician, she was tragically hit head-on by a semi truck. Ain't that just the break?\nBut even as we watch Ruffalo's well-intentioned David attempt to send Dr. Elizabeth toward the white light, it becomes clear they are developing a crush on each other. \nThrough a series of scenes that are cleverly written and involve several comic mishaps, David and Elizabeth get to know each other more intimately as they find out more about each others' past lives. It becomes clear the two will fall in love, if only they could solve that pesky problem of Elizabeth not being tangible.\n"Just Like Heaven" is a good romantic comedy, as modern-day movies go. It seems almost too much to ask for Hollywood romantic comedies to include interesting characters the audience themselves can actually picture liking. In Elizabeth, we have a heroine that is both imperfect and high-strung, but also smart, articulate and charming, a fair departure from the hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold phenomenon à la "Pretty Woman." Witherspoon's airy blonde ditz is all but left in the dust here, but none of that irrepressible energy is gone, solidifying my opinion that she just needs the right roles to be the best actress she can be. \nRuffalo, who has always taken interesting roles, makes a turn here for the more mainstream and with good results. He is affecting and sweet, and seems perfectly suited for Elizabeth, as they are both kind-hearted and quirky. His acting is also a good complement to Witherspoon's. They're both very talented and convey a sincerity that is rare in many Hollywood actors. \nThis film also marks a venture for Director Mark Waters from his foray into teen-world, having recently directed "Freaky Friday" and "Mean Girls." His earlier work, including the small treasure "The House of Yes," found more success on rental shelves than in theaters. But this turn will prove box office gold, as expected, no doubt, by its Hollywood producers. \nAnd though the movie is a little too sweet, edging on corny a times, it works. Its predictability is trumped by how involved we are with the love story, and how much we care about the lovers. Waters does well in developing the characters, and leaving the plot to sort of work itself out, concerning himself more with their stories and how much they grow to care about each other. He lets these two cute characters fall in cute love, and that's enough to ask for.