Here's another movie that almost everyone loves, but most have their own story regarding it. For me, it was watching it almost every year on KTLA 5 in LA. And every year, even as a young child, I loved watching it. As a child and a young man, I disliked musicals. I thought they were utterly preposterous. As an adult, I have come to appreciate and even love musicals. I realized somewhere along the way that musicals, just like any genre, have their good and their bad representatives. But this film was always the one musical I loved even in the years I claimed not to like musicals. As I have grown to love this genre, this movie still holds a special place for me.
What I have come to appreciate even more as I have grown older is how smart this movie is. It is a wicked satire. I would even say that a film like "This is Spinal Tap" works in its shadow. In this movie, we have an industry going through a Copernican style revolution, and there are skeletons in said industry's closet. The film is set in Hollywood at the end of the silent movie era. Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont (Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen) have been marketed as a Hollywood couple, and the release of each of their films is an event. They are the toast of Hollywood, and things couldn't be better, so it seems. Then, a wrench is thrown into everything with the arrival of talking pictures. Lina has a horrible voice, and Don's acting skills need refining. The contrast of what is seen on screen and what is real life becomes uproarious. Enter Cathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds), a talented young actress who can act and sing. Don falls in love with her, endangering the cooked up Hollywood romance on which the studio is depending. Add Cosmo Brown (Doanld O' Connor), Don's old buddy, to the mix, and the chemistry is perfect.
Each musical number gets better, and then we reach the title number. The title number elicits goose bumps from me very time I watch it, and most of us have hummed it to ourselves at one time or another while walking in the rain. A month or so again, U2's Bono led the crowd here in Minneapolis in a sing along of this song, as all of us were caught in a summer downpour.
This movie stands as a cultural landmark. It could only have been made in America, and it shows us some of what is to be celebrated about the American culture, in spite of all the messiness of our culture. Put the film in the DVD player. Laugh out loud at the wonderful contrast between Don's spoken autobiography and the pictures telling us what actually happened. Howl watching Lina Lamont decimate the English language. Cringe watching Donald O' Connor making mince meat of his body in the "Make 'Em Laugh" number. And finally, let your heart glow as Gene Kelly twirls his umbrella and pounces on the lamp post. It just doesn't get much better than this.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Pinocchio
What is it about these early Disney movies that captures me so much more than the Pixar work? I have softened significantly toward Pixar movies, since for many years I thought all of them were overrated. I don't feel as strongly that way anymore, but I still feel that many of the classic Disney films overshadow the Pixar films, in spite of the technical wizardry of the newer films.
One of the main reasons I respect Pinocchio so much is the same reason the first Star Wars film is such a landmark. These movies had their filmmakers making things up as they went along. The first shot in Pinocchio was revolutionary at the time, as the camera pans over the Italian village, and then slowly makes its way into the story. The only thing comparable to Pinocchio these days is Toy Story, since it was the first movie to be 100% computer animated. But Toy Story relied on the voices of famous actors (albeit fine actors-Tom Hanks does become Woody), while Pinocchio even more fully relies on the power of its story and the imagination to realize it.
By now, the story is very much a part of our consciousness. A lonely old puppeteer constructs a little boy and wishes upon a star that his puppet would become a real boy. The blue fairy brings the puppet to life, but the wooden boy must decide for himself whether or not he will be a real boy. His adventures and temptations are what the movie is about.
But it is about so much more. There is a warmth and charm to this movie that I have never found anywhere else. The simple story is beautifully told, and in it I see myself-my struggles to deal with going the easy way and not following the more difficult path.
Not to spoil too much, but in the end, Pinocchio does become a real boy. But since he has spent the majority of the film as a selfish boy, it never to me seemed that he had quite proven himself. May I suggest that there is a tremendous grace to Pinocchio becoming a real boy? Could it be that Gepetto's faith in the wish is what gave Pinocchio the ability all along?
One of the main reasons I respect Pinocchio so much is the same reason the first Star Wars film is such a landmark. These movies had their filmmakers making things up as they went along. The first shot in Pinocchio was revolutionary at the time, as the camera pans over the Italian village, and then slowly makes its way into the story. The only thing comparable to Pinocchio these days is Toy Story, since it was the first movie to be 100% computer animated. But Toy Story relied on the voices of famous actors (albeit fine actors-Tom Hanks does become Woody), while Pinocchio even more fully relies on the power of its story and the imagination to realize it.
By now, the story is very much a part of our consciousness. A lonely old puppeteer constructs a little boy and wishes upon a star that his puppet would become a real boy. The blue fairy brings the puppet to life, but the wooden boy must decide for himself whether or not he will be a real boy. His adventures and temptations are what the movie is about.
But it is about so much more. There is a warmth and charm to this movie that I have never found anywhere else. The simple story is beautifully told, and in it I see myself-my struggles to deal with going the easy way and not following the more difficult path.
Not to spoil too much, but in the end, Pinocchio does become a real boy. But since he has spent the majority of the film as a selfish boy, it never to me seemed that he had quite proven himself. May I suggest that there is a tremendous grace to Pinocchio becoming a real boy? Could it be that Gepetto's faith in the wish is what gave Pinocchio the ability all along?
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Fantastic Mr Fox
Another Andersonish entry from Wes Anderson. Though this movie did not captivate me the way my favorite of his movies do, I still loved watching it. One of the things that is so great about it is that since it is animated, so many of Anderson's whimsical visions can be realized even better.
The story revolves around a sly fox who moves his family to a brand new home (in a tree) in order to be closer to three factories from which he wants to steal. Along the way, we get to know his family. We see how Mr. Fox relates to his wife and his child, and his nephew. In the end, the family is a little bit happier, the three factories are a bit poorer, and the viewer of the film is a little bit more cheery.
Wes Anderson is in love with film making, and this movie exhibits that yet again. I found his style of dialogue a little less effective without the actors' face actually attached to the dialogue, but it still worked. This film feels a bit like a pet piece for Anderson (though I'm sure it took enormous amounts of work). Other films of his strike more of a chord in their humor and drama, and this one is a simple, whimsical tale. The animation is amazing, and it is astounding to think about how much work must have gone into this project.
I admire the level of commitment to a story here. Having said that, I would also love to see what Wes Anderson has next. He is an extraordinary gifted film maker, and one of those artists that will always keep me interested.
The story revolves around a sly fox who moves his family to a brand new home (in a tree) in order to be closer to three factories from which he wants to steal. Along the way, we get to know his family. We see how Mr. Fox relates to his wife and his child, and his nephew. In the end, the family is a little bit happier, the three factories are a bit poorer, and the viewer of the film is a little bit more cheery.
Wes Anderson is in love with film making, and this movie exhibits that yet again. I found his style of dialogue a little less effective without the actors' face actually attached to the dialogue, but it still worked. This film feels a bit like a pet piece for Anderson (though I'm sure it took enormous amounts of work). Other films of his strike more of a chord in their humor and drama, and this one is a simple, whimsical tale. The animation is amazing, and it is astounding to think about how much work must have gone into this project.
I admire the level of commitment to a story here. Having said that, I would also love to see what Wes Anderson has next. He is an extraordinary gifted film maker, and one of those artists that will always keep me interested.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Help
In the span of 3 weeks, I both read the novel and saw the movie, "The Help." As such, I feel I was able to compare them even better than other film adaptations of books. As I watched, I saw a very good depiction of the characters in the novel. But the entire experience went beyond that. As I watched, I found myself reflecting on the larger issue of civil rights, as well as the prisons in which we all find ourselves.
The story focuses on three women. Two of them are African American maids, and one is a young white college student. The young white woman is an aspiring writer, and she begins to take an interest in the lives of the countless women who end up raising white children. The story shows how her interest in writing their stories leads to shared discovery...not only of the need for equality for the African American people, but also shedding a light on the prisons many of the the peoples of both colors are in. For example, the character of Minny is in a different kind of prison. She has gotten in trouble at work through her sass, and she loses her job. But a deeper prison in which she finds herself is the one at home, as she wearily deals with an abusive husband. The high society white ladies and men in the movie are in a prison of their own construction. They cannot question the status quo, so they go along with horrible realities. They pay other women to raise their children, and treat those women like rubbish since the are expendable. Since the African American women must be kept where they are, the delicate social construct must be maintained, so they find any way they can to maintain the status quo, or even dial it back a few years.
The key character to the story is Aibileen, played amazingly by Viola Davis. Mild mannered and gentle, she is also strong, and she becomes the first woman to stand up and tell her story to Skeeter (Emma Stone), who is compiling these stories into a revolutionary book about the lives of the women. This is a story that is small in focus, but makes one think about the world. Anytime a story with these themes in it is released, it elicits controversy. I think that is good. We must be able to deal with our history honestly, and art can do that, however imperfect the work of art may be. I thought it ironic that the two women (Aibileen and Minny) however oppressed they were, end the movie in a freer state than the racist community in Jackson. True, they are still second class citizens who are in the poorer class, but they have shared their story, and they have found a certain measure of dignity. The society women of Jackson, while more privileged and wealthy, are trapped in hate and fear.
The performances are all great, and the film is able to capture the characters on the screen very well. There are some amendments to the book, as well as some deletions. But the true strength of the adaptation is the ability to realize the characters in the book. And the pie story line was executed brilliantly. For those who have read the book, you know what I am talking about. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, you will not be disappointed in the pay off.
The story focuses on three women. Two of them are African American maids, and one is a young white college student. The young white woman is an aspiring writer, and she begins to take an interest in the lives of the countless women who end up raising white children. The story shows how her interest in writing their stories leads to shared discovery...not only of the need for equality for the African American people, but also shedding a light on the prisons many of the the peoples of both colors are in. For example, the character of Minny is in a different kind of prison. She has gotten in trouble at work through her sass, and she loses her job. But a deeper prison in which she finds herself is the one at home, as she wearily deals with an abusive husband. The high society white ladies and men in the movie are in a prison of their own construction. They cannot question the status quo, so they go along with horrible realities. They pay other women to raise their children, and treat those women like rubbish since the are expendable. Since the African American women must be kept where they are, the delicate social construct must be maintained, so they find any way they can to maintain the status quo, or even dial it back a few years.
The key character to the story is Aibileen, played amazingly by Viola Davis. Mild mannered and gentle, she is also strong, and she becomes the first woman to stand up and tell her story to Skeeter (Emma Stone), who is compiling these stories into a revolutionary book about the lives of the women. This is a story that is small in focus, but makes one think about the world. Anytime a story with these themes in it is released, it elicits controversy. I think that is good. We must be able to deal with our history honestly, and art can do that, however imperfect the work of art may be. I thought it ironic that the two women (Aibileen and Minny) however oppressed they were, end the movie in a freer state than the racist community in Jackson. True, they are still second class citizens who are in the poorer class, but they have shared their story, and they have found a certain measure of dignity. The society women of Jackson, while more privileged and wealthy, are trapped in hate and fear.
The performances are all great, and the film is able to capture the characters on the screen very well. There are some amendments to the book, as well as some deletions. But the true strength of the adaptation is the ability to realize the characters in the book. And the pie story line was executed brilliantly. For those who have read the book, you know what I am talking about. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, you will not be disappointed in the pay off.
Friday, August 12, 2011
10 Movies my wife and I can watch over and over
My wife Stephanie and I love watching movies together. Over the years, we have begun to watch certain movies over and over again, just like you look at old family photos. Here are ten movies my wife and I love watching--
10) Rear Window: A classic Hitchcock story. Maybe not his greatest work, but certainly terribly fun and entertaining-and my wife has always loved Jimmy Stewart.
9) Stranger Than Fiction: When we first saw this movie, we saw something rare. We saw something that seemed truly original to us. It still feels that way. Will Ferrell is wonderful in this movie, and he has Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson to back him up. It is an unusual romantic comedy in that it is original. Romantic comedies can be tough to make original, but this one accomplishes that. Finally, seeing Chicago (our temporary home town) on screen is always wonderful.
8) Fargo: While there are always scenes that Steph would rather skip (a lot of blood is shed in this film), the simple decency of Marge Gunderson and her husband always brings Steph back, and the sharp Coen Brothers dialogue with a Minnesota touch gets me every time.
7) Babe: Simple, sweet storytelling with a slight edge. A great work of cinema that is fun to watch with kids.
6) Pride and Prejudice: This BBC miniseries really made Colin Firth a household name well before his glory in "The King's Speech". It is 5 hours long, but somehow it always seems to fly by (though we have never watched it in one sitting). The amount of lines we quote are numerous..."And yet I am unmoved.", "Are we to be murdered in our beds?!?" "By modest equipage", etc. The performances are great, and it shows the depth of Jane Austen's storytelling, as well as the drama that can come out of such seemingly mundane social meandering.
5) Steel Magnolias: Wayne and Garth dismissed this movie as a "chick movie" on "Wayne's World", and there is truth in that. But even though it is horribly sad at times and lacking in testosterone, it has some of the funniest dialogue and situations you can see on film. Witness Tom Skerrit attempting to frighten the birds in his tree with his gun, or listen to the sassy dialogue delivered by Olympia Dukakis ("If you don't have something nice to say, come sit by me.") It is the rare movie that evokes many different emotions because its characters are at so many stages in life. And the cast (Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Darryl Hannah, Shrley Mclane, Olympia Dukakis, etc...) is outstanding.
4) The Bourne Triology: Steph has a soft spot for Matt Damon, and I love watching because it's a great travel log. These movies all do a wonderful job of cranking up the action and never letting up. And each movie features not only Damon, but a wonderful cast of supporting actors which lend gravitas to the story, and make an otherwise standard action plot into something truly special.
3) Notting Hill: Another movie that may mean a lot to us because of when we first saw it. We saw it just after I had popped the question, and the dialogue written by Richard Curtis continues to make us laugh. Lately, this movie has sort of been replaced in our regular viewing by "Love Actually", but I think this one deserves a place on this list because it was more formative for us. Also, you simply cannot beat Hugh Grant surprising his friends by bringing the world's biggest movie star to dinner as his date.
2) Almost Famous: We saw this movie for the first time at a movie theater in Boston with an old friend, and we loved it. Since then, it has aged very well. Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical ode to rock music has so much nuance and poignance that it is always watchable. There is so much familiarity as well, even though my upbringing was so different.
AND NUMBER 1:
1) Good Will Hunting: I think we have watched this movie together more than any other. We took two trips to Boston early in our relationship, and so the setting is very evocative for both of us. Also, the movie shows characters that are on the verge of adulthood but still have a lot of residue from their adolescence. When we first saw this movie, Stephanie and I were in that stage. The stage of having a job, but spending evenings at diners or fast food restaurants chillin' with friends. Also, Robin Williams' monologue in the garden is one of the best written scenes of which I can think. We always love watching it together.
What are some of your special favs with your significant other or friends?
Read my blog entries on 3 of these movies:
Babe: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/babe.html
Fargo: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/fargo.html
Almost Famous: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/rock-and-roll-part-2- almost-famous.html
10) Rear Window: A classic Hitchcock story. Maybe not his greatest work, but certainly terribly fun and entertaining-and my wife has always loved Jimmy Stewart.
9) Stranger Than Fiction: When we first saw this movie, we saw something rare. We saw something that seemed truly original to us. It still feels that way. Will Ferrell is wonderful in this movie, and he has Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson to back him up. It is an unusual romantic comedy in that it is original. Romantic comedies can be tough to make original, but this one accomplishes that. Finally, seeing Chicago (our temporary home town) on screen is always wonderful.
8) Fargo: While there are always scenes that Steph would rather skip (a lot of blood is shed in this film), the simple decency of Marge Gunderson and her husband always brings Steph back, and the sharp Coen Brothers dialogue with a Minnesota touch gets me every time.
7) Babe: Simple, sweet storytelling with a slight edge. A great work of cinema that is fun to watch with kids.
6) Pride and Prejudice: This BBC miniseries really made Colin Firth a household name well before his glory in "The King's Speech". It is 5 hours long, but somehow it always seems to fly by (though we have never watched it in one sitting). The amount of lines we quote are numerous..."And yet I am unmoved.", "Are we to be murdered in our beds?!?" "By modest equipage", etc. The performances are great, and it shows the depth of Jane Austen's storytelling, as well as the drama that can come out of such seemingly mundane social meandering.
5) Steel Magnolias: Wayne and Garth dismissed this movie as a "chick movie" on "Wayne's World", and there is truth in that. But even though it is horribly sad at times and lacking in testosterone, it has some of the funniest dialogue and situations you can see on film. Witness Tom Skerrit attempting to frighten the birds in his tree with his gun, or listen to the sassy dialogue delivered by Olympia Dukakis ("If you don't have something nice to say, come sit by me.") It is the rare movie that evokes many different emotions because its characters are at so many stages in life. And the cast (Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Darryl Hannah, Shrley Mclane, Olympia Dukakis, etc...) is outstanding.
4) The Bourne Triology: Steph has a soft spot for Matt Damon, and I love watching because it's a great travel log. These movies all do a wonderful job of cranking up the action and never letting up. And each movie features not only Damon, but a wonderful cast of supporting actors which lend gravitas to the story, and make an otherwise standard action plot into something truly special.
3) Notting Hill: Another movie that may mean a lot to us because of when we first saw it. We saw it just after I had popped the question, and the dialogue written by Richard Curtis continues to make us laugh. Lately, this movie has sort of been replaced in our regular viewing by "Love Actually", but I think this one deserves a place on this list because it was more formative for us. Also, you simply cannot beat Hugh Grant surprising his friends by bringing the world's biggest movie star to dinner as his date.
2) Almost Famous: We saw this movie for the first time at a movie theater in Boston with an old friend, and we loved it. Since then, it has aged very well. Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical ode to rock music has so much nuance and poignance that it is always watchable. There is so much familiarity as well, even though my upbringing was so different.
AND NUMBER 1:
1) Good Will Hunting: I think we have watched this movie together more than any other. We took two trips to Boston early in our relationship, and so the setting is very evocative for both of us. Also, the movie shows characters that are on the verge of adulthood but still have a lot of residue from their adolescence. When we first saw this movie, Stephanie and I were in that stage. The stage of having a job, but spending evenings at diners or fast food restaurants chillin' with friends. Also, Robin Williams' monologue in the garden is one of the best written scenes of which I can think. We always love watching it together.
What are some of your special favs with your significant other or friends?
Read my blog entries on 3 of these movies:
Babe: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/babe.html
Fargo: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/fargo.html
Almost Famous: http://joelsmovieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/rock-and-roll-part-2- almost-famous.html
Monday, August 8, 2011
Marley and Me
On our recent trip to the lake in Brainerd, Minnesota, Stephanie and I put our feet up and watched this movie. Great movies are often times described as being greater than the sum of their parts. To me, this movie had great parts that did not add up to a great sum. It follows the adventures of a newspaper columnist and his wife as they move to Florida and begin their newlywed life together. Along the way, they adopt an incorrigible Labrador and begin their family. The movie follows the life of the dog as this couple adjusts to the enormous challenges of raising children on one income. Unfortunately, it lacks direction and feels more like a slide show than a movie.
The movie has a lot going for it. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are both very good in their roles. Alan Arkin is hilarious as Owen Wilson's boss. The dog is cute. The kids are cute. And the depiction of adjusting to the grind of being a parent does indeed have some familiarity. What the movie seemed to be missing is a coherent narrative. In fact, it seemed like a group of newspaper columns, which I suppose it was. It seemed a bit disjointed, even though many moments rang true. I think it could have used some greater cohesion and it would have made it more unified. As it stands, the movie is not a deep movie. It doesn't need to be. But sometimes, movie masterpieces need not be deep at all, just done with cohesion (think "Airplane"). Here, by the time we get to the end of the movie, the dog seems to be the story again, just like he was at the beginning. The only problem is, the dog sat on the sidelines for the middle of the movie.
It is hard to pick this movie apart too much. It is out to warm the heart, not change the world. But I think my heart would have been warmer if there had been a story I was more involved in.
The movie has a lot going for it. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are both very good in their roles. Alan Arkin is hilarious as Owen Wilson's boss. The dog is cute. The kids are cute. And the depiction of adjusting to the grind of being a parent does indeed have some familiarity. What the movie seemed to be missing is a coherent narrative. In fact, it seemed like a group of newspaper columns, which I suppose it was. It seemed a bit disjointed, even though many moments rang true. I think it could have used some greater cohesion and it would have made it more unified. As it stands, the movie is not a deep movie. It doesn't need to be. But sometimes, movie masterpieces need not be deep at all, just done with cohesion (think "Airplane"). Here, by the time we get to the end of the movie, the dog seems to be the story again, just like he was at the beginning. The only problem is, the dog sat on the sidelines for the middle of the movie.
It is hard to pick this movie apart too much. It is out to warm the heart, not change the world. But I think my heart would have been warmer if there had been a story I was more involved in.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
ANSWERS!!!
THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED...THE WINNER IS A FRIEND FROM TJ'S...SHE GOT 14 ANSWERS CORRECT. I'LL KEEP WORKING ON ORGANIZING SO THAT ON THE NEXT QUIZ YOU CAN'T SEE OTHERS' ANSWERS. :)
THANKS AGAIN!!!!
1. Truman Show
2. Psycho
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Good Will Hunting
5. Casablanca
6. Fargo
7. The Lives of Others
8. This is Spinal Tap( though the line is actually "What're the hours?"-hat tip to the winner on her correction)
9. Raising Arizona
10. The Princess Bride
11. City Lights
12. Hard Day's Night
13. Babe
14. What's Up Doc?
15. E.T.
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