I haven't done one of these in awhile...so here goes. I have ten quotes below. They all have a common connection. The title of each movie is worth 1 point, and the actor (s) or actress who spoke the line is worth one point (in this case, quotes 1 and 10 are spoken by bit actors, so those are only worth one point, since I don't know that names of the actors who spoke the lines, while number 7 is spoken by two different actors, so that question can be worth 3 points total). If you guess the connection between all of the quotes, I will make that worth 5 points. Here are the rules:
-You have to get your answers to me via email (losbascoms@me.com) or private Facebook message. If you put your answers in the comment section, others can see them and I will delete them. I will take answers until Friday, May 10 at 9PM Minneapolis time.
-NO GOOGLING OT LOOKING UP ANSWERS...this is meant to test your brain without help :)
-The winner will get a $10 Trader Joe's gift card.
GOOD LUCK
1. "Say it ain't so Joe"
2. "Do you have a kiss for Daddy?"
3. "I didn't kill my wife!"
4. "Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable, or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"
5. "I'll have a drink."
6. "Could you describe the ruckus?"
7. "We're on a mission from God."
8. "I like the mass better in Latin. It's nicer when you don't know what they're saying."
9. "4 Jacks...you owe me 15 grand pal"
10. "YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!!"
Friday, May 3, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Master
As I watched the enigmatic last images of this movie, I realized something. Much like life, this movie was a journey. The movie didn't seem to be trying to advance any point of view, but simply allowing the viewer (s) to live with the characters in the movie for 2+ hours. Their journey doesn't come to a tidy conclusion. Their journey has not reached any specific destination. We only know that the two principle characters have affected each other deeply, even though the principle character has made little, if any, progress. (SPECIAL NOTE: this movie earns its R-rating...be warned that if you see this movie, there are several scenes involving nudity and sexuality---and the language is pretty rough too)
Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie Quell, a young man who has just returned from fighting on the Pacific front in World War 2. He is a slave to impulse, especially in desires for sex and alcohol. The opening images of the film show the extent to which he will he go for sexual release, and at other points in the movie, his addiction for alcohol is revealed to be so deep that he uses paint thinner in a cocktail. One night, in a drunken stupor, he finds himself stumbling onto a yacht in San Francisco Harbor. On the boat is a group of people led by a man named Lancaster Dodd, who presides over a group of people dedicated to "The Cause." Freddie ends up in the bowels of the ship with Lancaster (whose name we do not even know until much of the film is over), and Lancaster subjects him to a lengthy interrogation. Why he asks the questions he does is not clear. The one thing that is clear is that Dodd believes in some kind of ability of humans to heal past hurts, free themselves from addictions, and attain some kind of perfection that all humans have lost.
"The Cause" has gained quite a following, as Dodd is able to count on the good will and hospitality of people from homes as varied as San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, and Phoenix. As Freddie continues in the cause, his loyalty to Dodd becomes fierce enough that he becomes willing to resort to violence toward those who question him. He also is willing to endure bizarre physical challenges from Dodd simply because he is asked to do so. Rifts inevitably develop between the two men, and the whole time, Dodd's wife Peggy (Amy Adams) presides over their relationship with suspicion.
This movie could have been "about" a lot of things. It could have been a critique of self help religion (the history of Scientology did help inspire the film, according to director Paul Thomas Anderson). It could have also delved more deeply into life's meaning as it examines the obvious questions that are brought up with the subject matter. Instead, it seems to me that the movie is most concerned with personal dynamics. The two main characters and the people they affect give us a fascinating story. Add to that some of the supporting roles, and the dynamics become even more interesting. For instance, though "The Master" is the character of Dodd, I couldn't hep but think as I watched the film that the film's title could just as easily be talking about Dodd's wife. While the ideas, gift of gab, and glory all belong to Lancaster, Peggy seems to quietly preside over it all, telling Lancaster when he has gone too far, and demanding certain things from him that no one else could.
Therefore, the movie is not really "about" anything, in my final analysis. It seems more observational, much like an episode of "Seinfeld". It's almost as if Anderson wanted to simply make a movie about interesting people, and let the audience observe them. Of course, by doing that, it is actually about a lot of different things! I suppose this is the paradox of the movie. It doesn't take much of a position on what it depicts, and in so doing, it gives the viewer many issues to ponder. For me, the ultimate issue that I pondered was the human being's search for belonging and meaning. Where do we go for these things? Anderson shows Freddie going to several places for this, but in the end, it all seems somewhat vain. In the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, a phrase appears: "Nothing is new under the sun". As Freddie tries to find meaning everywhere (except in God, who never really factors into this story), he is left somewhat empty handed. The principles of Ecclesiastes come across in this film, whether Paul Thomas Anderson intended them to or not.
In the end, despite its intensity and grim nature at times, this movie is something I found exhilarating. The writing and creativity of Anderson is an amazing thing to behold. As I listened to the dialogue, at times I found myself in awe of the creativity and the precision of the vision and the dialogue in the movie. This filmmaker has received many accolades (he has not won an Oscar yet), and his work is definitely noteworthy. It may not always be palatable, and it sometimes is polarizing. However, it is always interesting, and this is in that vein.
Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie Quell, a young man who has just returned from fighting on the Pacific front in World War 2. He is a slave to impulse, especially in desires for sex and alcohol. The opening images of the film show the extent to which he will he go for sexual release, and at other points in the movie, his addiction for alcohol is revealed to be so deep that he uses paint thinner in a cocktail. One night, in a drunken stupor, he finds himself stumbling onto a yacht in San Francisco Harbor. On the boat is a group of people led by a man named Lancaster Dodd, who presides over a group of people dedicated to "The Cause." Freddie ends up in the bowels of the ship with Lancaster (whose name we do not even know until much of the film is over), and Lancaster subjects him to a lengthy interrogation. Why he asks the questions he does is not clear. The one thing that is clear is that Dodd believes in some kind of ability of humans to heal past hurts, free themselves from addictions, and attain some kind of perfection that all humans have lost.
"The Cause" has gained quite a following, as Dodd is able to count on the good will and hospitality of people from homes as varied as San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, and Phoenix. As Freddie continues in the cause, his loyalty to Dodd becomes fierce enough that he becomes willing to resort to violence toward those who question him. He also is willing to endure bizarre physical challenges from Dodd simply because he is asked to do so. Rifts inevitably develop between the two men, and the whole time, Dodd's wife Peggy (Amy Adams) presides over their relationship with suspicion.
This movie could have been "about" a lot of things. It could have been a critique of self help religion (the history of Scientology did help inspire the film, according to director Paul Thomas Anderson). It could have also delved more deeply into life's meaning as it examines the obvious questions that are brought up with the subject matter. Instead, it seems to me that the movie is most concerned with personal dynamics. The two main characters and the people they affect give us a fascinating story. Add to that some of the supporting roles, and the dynamics become even more interesting. For instance, though "The Master" is the character of Dodd, I couldn't hep but think as I watched the film that the film's title could just as easily be talking about Dodd's wife. While the ideas, gift of gab, and glory all belong to Lancaster, Peggy seems to quietly preside over it all, telling Lancaster when he has gone too far, and demanding certain things from him that no one else could.
Therefore, the movie is not really "about" anything, in my final analysis. It seems more observational, much like an episode of "Seinfeld". It's almost as if Anderson wanted to simply make a movie about interesting people, and let the audience observe them. Of course, by doing that, it is actually about a lot of different things! I suppose this is the paradox of the movie. It doesn't take much of a position on what it depicts, and in so doing, it gives the viewer many issues to ponder. For me, the ultimate issue that I pondered was the human being's search for belonging and meaning. Where do we go for these things? Anderson shows Freddie going to several places for this, but in the end, it all seems somewhat vain. In the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, a phrase appears: "Nothing is new under the sun". As Freddie tries to find meaning everywhere (except in God, who never really factors into this story), he is left somewhat empty handed. The principles of Ecclesiastes come across in this film, whether Paul Thomas Anderson intended them to or not.
In the end, despite its intensity and grim nature at times, this movie is something I found exhilarating. The writing and creativity of Anderson is an amazing thing to behold. As I listened to the dialogue, at times I found myself in awe of the creativity and the precision of the vision and the dialogue in the movie. This filmmaker has received many accolades (he has not won an Oscar yet), and his work is definitely noteworthy. It may not always be palatable, and it sometimes is polarizing. However, it is always interesting, and this is in that vein.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
42
I never do this...but when I saw "42", it seemed appropriate. The Dodgers were playing a day game in New York (of all places) during the movie, so I left my phone on silence, and I checked in on their progress while I was watching the story of Jackie Robinson unfold. As the film ended with the end of Robinson's rookie season, I looked down at my phone, and the Dodgers had just defeated the Mets. Watching this movie about the most significant Dodger ever made me want to check in with my team while I was watching the movie. It occurred to me that even though Jackie Robinson will always be remembered for the remarkable contributions he made to humanity, it might be forgotten that had he not played the game of baseball very well, he would not have made the progress that he made. So, in that light, it seemed in the spirit of the film to check in on the Boys in Blue as I watched the drama unfold on the movie screen (there were 5 people in the theater, so I didn't shine a light on anyone, in case anyone wondered).
This is a story that begs to be told on the movie screen. It involves great human drama, an underdog story, and a love story. It follows the pursuit of not one, but two men, and how they accomplished that shared goal together. It also follows the journey of a remarkable couple, whose love for each other made the success of the pursuit possible. The young actor cast to play Robinson is Chadwick Boseman. He is well suited to the role. He brings Jackie Robinson to all of us, as we see before us how this man was able to help integrate America's game. Jackie Robinson was no pacifist. One of the reasons he was chosen by the Dodgers' owner was that he had stood up to racism in the past (Robinson had been court marshaled during WW2 because he refused to follow segregation rules on a military bus). Boseman is able to show the simmering anger that Robinson felt, but also his commitment to controlling his temper. As the Dodgers' owner, Harrison Ford inhabits Branch Rickey very well. If the viewer thinks he is hamming it up in the role, watch old film footage of Branch Rickey. You will see that Ford's portrayal is note perfect, and it would be good to see Mr. Ford recognized for his work next Oscar season, an honor that has alluded him so far in his long acting career. The other essential partnership which made this story possible is the love story between Jackie and his wife Rachel. Rachel Robinson is played by Nicole Beharie, and brings the right balance of tenderness and strength to portray a woman who needed both of those things to support her husband who had to go through a living hell. The story of these three people is the heart of the movie.
Beyond that, since many of the anecdotes depicted in the movie are well known, the movie was more of a warm, inspirational story told well. As Robinson makes his way to the big leagues, he is defended in surprising ways. Perhaps the best scene in that vain is the scene in which Dodger manager Leo Durocher (played very well by Christopher Meloni) confronts the team regarding a petition certain players had circulated stating that they would not play for the Dodgers next to a black man. Durocher stymies their rebellion, but not before some colorful language is used, and he makes known to the players the Robinson is only the first of many talented players from the Negro Leagues who will enter the Majors, and that they better play well if they like their jobs.
The movie also brings back 40's baseball well. It brings us into that world, and it aids the story very well. The spring training facility at the beginning of the film does not look glamorous. The grass is not well manicured, and it reminds us that baseball was not the big business then that it is now. Also, the technology of digital effects is used to bring to life old ball parks that have been gone for decades. Seeing Ebbet's Field, The Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, and other places come to life again was great for this baseball devote.
However, in spite of all the window dressing, the heart of the movie is the human drama. We get a glimpse into the close partnership between Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson. Both of those men gave credit to the other man for the success of their experiment until the day they died. Harrison Ford plays the role with great gusto, and the scenes of him encouraging Robinson and demanding loyalty from his other employees are some of the movie's best scenes. The movie also reserves a special place for Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), a journalist for the African American newspaper "The Pittsburgh Courier" who followed Jackie Robinson's rookie year and chronicled it. And finally, we see the love story between Jackie and Rachel played out before our eyes. Their need for each other is evident in one scene specifically. As they stroll through a Florida neighborhood together, they are approached by a man who sees them strolling. The man is doing some city work on a power line, but wants to speak with them. As he stops his work to approach the couple, they become concerned. With the abuse they have already endured, they are understandably defensive as this stranger approaches them. But, as he reaches them, he makes known to both of them that he is "pulling for him," and that he deserves a shot like everyone else.
I doubt very much that this movie will win any awards next award season. It is not a groundbreaking masterpiece. However, I spent more than half of this movie with a lump in my throat. This is a story I know very well, and the story is brought to the screen with accuracy and dignity. In the end, that is enough. Some of the reviews have stated that the movie played it safe. I cannot totally disagree, but I can say that I have rarely had a more satisfying emotional experience at a movie than I did seeing this movie. Cinema can be avant garde and cutting edge. But it can also be the keeper of inspirational stories like this one. The story tells of people not only motivated by a desire for fairness, but also motivated by a faith in Christ that gives them the strength to overcome barriers.
This is a story that begs to be told on the movie screen. It involves great human drama, an underdog story, and a love story. It follows the pursuit of not one, but two men, and how they accomplished that shared goal together. It also follows the journey of a remarkable couple, whose love for each other made the success of the pursuit possible. The young actor cast to play Robinson is Chadwick Boseman. He is well suited to the role. He brings Jackie Robinson to all of us, as we see before us how this man was able to help integrate America's game. Jackie Robinson was no pacifist. One of the reasons he was chosen by the Dodgers' owner was that he had stood up to racism in the past (Robinson had been court marshaled during WW2 because he refused to follow segregation rules on a military bus). Boseman is able to show the simmering anger that Robinson felt, but also his commitment to controlling his temper. As the Dodgers' owner, Harrison Ford inhabits Branch Rickey very well. If the viewer thinks he is hamming it up in the role, watch old film footage of Branch Rickey. You will see that Ford's portrayal is note perfect, and it would be good to see Mr. Ford recognized for his work next Oscar season, an honor that has alluded him so far in his long acting career. The other essential partnership which made this story possible is the love story between Jackie and his wife Rachel. Rachel Robinson is played by Nicole Beharie, and brings the right balance of tenderness and strength to portray a woman who needed both of those things to support her husband who had to go through a living hell. The story of these three people is the heart of the movie.
Beyond that, since many of the anecdotes depicted in the movie are well known, the movie was more of a warm, inspirational story told well. As Robinson makes his way to the big leagues, he is defended in surprising ways. Perhaps the best scene in that vain is the scene in which Dodger manager Leo Durocher (played very well by Christopher Meloni) confronts the team regarding a petition certain players had circulated stating that they would not play for the Dodgers next to a black man. Durocher stymies their rebellion, but not before some colorful language is used, and he makes known to the players the Robinson is only the first of many talented players from the Negro Leagues who will enter the Majors, and that they better play well if they like their jobs.
The movie also brings back 40's baseball well. It brings us into that world, and it aids the story very well. The spring training facility at the beginning of the film does not look glamorous. The grass is not well manicured, and it reminds us that baseball was not the big business then that it is now. Also, the technology of digital effects is used to bring to life old ball parks that have been gone for decades. Seeing Ebbet's Field, The Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, and other places come to life again was great for this baseball devote.
However, in spite of all the window dressing, the heart of the movie is the human drama. We get a glimpse into the close partnership between Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson. Both of those men gave credit to the other man for the success of their experiment until the day they died. Harrison Ford plays the role with great gusto, and the scenes of him encouraging Robinson and demanding loyalty from his other employees are some of the movie's best scenes. The movie also reserves a special place for Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), a journalist for the African American newspaper "The Pittsburgh Courier" who followed Jackie Robinson's rookie year and chronicled it. And finally, we see the love story between Jackie and Rachel played out before our eyes. Their need for each other is evident in one scene specifically. As they stroll through a Florida neighborhood together, they are approached by a man who sees them strolling. The man is doing some city work on a power line, but wants to speak with them. As he stops his work to approach the couple, they become concerned. With the abuse they have already endured, they are understandably defensive as this stranger approaches them. But, as he reaches them, he makes known to both of them that he is "pulling for him," and that he deserves a shot like everyone else.
I doubt very much that this movie will win any awards next award season. It is not a groundbreaking masterpiece. However, I spent more than half of this movie with a lump in my throat. This is a story I know very well, and the story is brought to the screen with accuracy and dignity. In the end, that is enough. Some of the reviews have stated that the movie played it safe. I cannot totally disagree, but I can say that I have rarely had a more satisfying emotional experience at a movie than I did seeing this movie. Cinema can be avant garde and cutting edge. But it can also be the keeper of inspirational stories like this one. The story tells of people not only motivated by a desire for fairness, but also motivated by a faith in Christ that gives them the strength to overcome barriers.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Lost In Translation
There is a unique feel to this movie. It manages to have a dreamlike quality, though the characters in the film are hardly living in the kind of dream they would prefer. This is a movie that is about many things, but as I watched it again some 9 years after first seeing it in the movie theater, I was struck by one theme in particular. That theme is intimacy.
There is one emotion that both Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johnansson) certainly feel: loneliness. The film follows these two characters as they each journey through their respective lives of isolation and searching. Bob Harris is a famous American movie actor who has journeyed to Tokyo to shoot an advertisement for a Japanese whiskey called Santore. Charlotte is in Tokyo with her photographer husband as he is on a photo shoot in Tokyo. The two of them are staying in the same swanky hotel, and they happen upon each other one night at the hotel bar while listening to the hotel bar singer. Bob is in a mid-life crisis of sorts, as his distance from his wife and kids is not only geographical, but also metaphysical. Charlotte is feeling increasingly distant from her husband, and while he works on his photo shoots, she listens to self help books and visits Buddhist shrines, trying to discover some meaning for her life. Their loneliness is exacerbated by the fact that they are foreigners. Neither of them speak Japanese, so everything around them presents barriers. In what is possibly the signature scene of the movie, Bob Harris is trying to shoot the whiskey commercial. After shooting the first take, the director of the commercial gives a lengthy piece of direction to the translator. The translator in turn relays the message to Harris, and it seems to be much more brief than what the director said to the translator. Other scenes like this ensue. Anyone who has been in a country wherein their native language is not the primary language spoken can identify with these scenes.
Having set the stage, the theme of intimacy begins to take center stage. As Bob and Charlotte meet, they begin to spend time together. They are clearly at very different stages in their lives, but they also seem to have a lot in common. The connection that they have is beautifully depicted. My favorite example of this is a scene at a nightclub wherein the two characters are sitting together, and Charlotte lovingly rests her head on Bob's shoulder. There is an unspoken connection between these two characters that goes beyond anything physical. This is most clearly seen near the end of the film. Bob has a one night stand with the resident lounge singer. The next morning, Charlotte knocks on his door, hoping to spend another day together. She is disappointed to find this situation, and the rest of their day together is spent in awkward conversation and tension. What is the problem? They have not slept together, or even exchanged more than a head on the shoulder. However, they have connected in such a deep way that Charlotte does feel betrayal and disappointment. It is clear that there is chemistry between them, and they are both needy. So, to Charlotte, Bob's actions are insensitive.
I think that the closing images of this film are among the most evocative I have ever seen. I will not spoil the ending. Suffice to say, there is a certain controversy to it, and the mystery of the ending does indeed give the entire film an elusive air. It is painful to watch how distant both of the main characters are from their respective spouses, and how they deal with that pain together is what the movie is about. Their individual pain forges an intimacy with each other that goes beyond anything sexual. It seems that these two have some degree of physical attraction, but whatever exists in that realm is secondary to the spiritual connection the two characters have. Bill Murray is amazing in this movie, and I wish he would have won the Oscar for it. He brings a world weary quality to his performance that really is the heart of this film. In some ways, the truths of the book of Ecclesiastes are on display here, as the weariness of life is on display as well as the simple comfort of human contact. Sofia Coppola, who wrote and directed this movie, uses all of the elements of film making (photography, soundtrack, dialogue, etc) to create an elusive yet palatable tone to this movie. The tone on its own makes this movie so watchable. The characters and them of the movie make it exceptional.
There is one emotion that both Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johnansson) certainly feel: loneliness. The film follows these two characters as they each journey through their respective lives of isolation and searching. Bob Harris is a famous American movie actor who has journeyed to Tokyo to shoot an advertisement for a Japanese whiskey called Santore. Charlotte is in Tokyo with her photographer husband as he is on a photo shoot in Tokyo. The two of them are staying in the same swanky hotel, and they happen upon each other one night at the hotel bar while listening to the hotel bar singer. Bob is in a mid-life crisis of sorts, as his distance from his wife and kids is not only geographical, but also metaphysical. Charlotte is feeling increasingly distant from her husband, and while he works on his photo shoots, she listens to self help books and visits Buddhist shrines, trying to discover some meaning for her life. Their loneliness is exacerbated by the fact that they are foreigners. Neither of them speak Japanese, so everything around them presents barriers. In what is possibly the signature scene of the movie, Bob Harris is trying to shoot the whiskey commercial. After shooting the first take, the director of the commercial gives a lengthy piece of direction to the translator. The translator in turn relays the message to Harris, and it seems to be much more brief than what the director said to the translator. Other scenes like this ensue. Anyone who has been in a country wherein their native language is not the primary language spoken can identify with these scenes.
Having set the stage, the theme of intimacy begins to take center stage. As Bob and Charlotte meet, they begin to spend time together. They are clearly at very different stages in their lives, but they also seem to have a lot in common. The connection that they have is beautifully depicted. My favorite example of this is a scene at a nightclub wherein the two characters are sitting together, and Charlotte lovingly rests her head on Bob's shoulder. There is an unspoken connection between these two characters that goes beyond anything physical. This is most clearly seen near the end of the film. Bob has a one night stand with the resident lounge singer. The next morning, Charlotte knocks on his door, hoping to spend another day together. She is disappointed to find this situation, and the rest of their day together is spent in awkward conversation and tension. What is the problem? They have not slept together, or even exchanged more than a head on the shoulder. However, they have connected in such a deep way that Charlotte does feel betrayal and disappointment. It is clear that there is chemistry between them, and they are both needy. So, to Charlotte, Bob's actions are insensitive.
I think that the closing images of this film are among the most evocative I have ever seen. I will not spoil the ending. Suffice to say, there is a certain controversy to it, and the mystery of the ending does indeed give the entire film an elusive air. It is painful to watch how distant both of the main characters are from their respective spouses, and how they deal with that pain together is what the movie is about. Their individual pain forges an intimacy with each other that goes beyond anything sexual. It seems that these two have some degree of physical attraction, but whatever exists in that realm is secondary to the spiritual connection the two characters have. Bill Murray is amazing in this movie, and I wish he would have won the Oscar for it. He brings a world weary quality to his performance that really is the heart of this film. In some ways, the truths of the book of Ecclesiastes are on display here, as the weariness of life is on display as well as the simple comfort of human contact. Sofia Coppola, who wrote and directed this movie, uses all of the elements of film making (photography, soundtrack, dialogue, etc) to create an elusive yet palatable tone to this movie. The tone on its own makes this movie so watchable. The characters and them of the movie make it exceptional.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
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