12 posts tagged “movie”

Sean and Stefan say...

Vertigo - Sean's Favorite Film Scene

Yesterday we spent a great and (what turned out to be) beautiful day with our friend Julie (sporting a lovely hair-do we might add)!  We saw Sean's favorite flick EVER, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo in a revival at what is becoming our favorite theatre pastime The Charles.  And then we continued on to Cafe Hon in Baltimore's Hampden area.  The theatre was packed and the film got a round of applause at the end. As we drove over to Cafe Hon, we debated the reasons why the film ended the way it did and whether the ledges of Spanish mission bell towers are really that wide. Stefan later proved himself by remembering what Sean's favorite Vertigo scene was without prompting as well as showing sympathy for poor Midge (Barbara BelGeddes), Jimmy Stewart's character's pining ex-fiance who obsesses in her own way. Stefan led us on a shopping tour after a late brunch. This all felt like it happened before but it really didn't. It was great to see Julie; she always gives us welcome and sage advise!

The McFreeds blabber...

Dial M For Murder

We found ourselves rushing off spontaneously to go see the latest film being played as part of the Alfred Hitchcock revival at The Charles Theatre here in Baltimore, Dial M For Murder.  In 3-D!!!!  The Charles shows the revival movie of the week on Saturdays, Sundays, and Thursdays in the large theatre. The films shown are not always in the best condition as they might be on DVD, but the experience of watching an old film with an audience is always too hard to pass up becuase it gives you a new perspective on a given film. Plus this was in 3-D (said with as deep a booming voice we can make...no giggling)!!!!

Well, on a Thursday night at 9pm, the move was close to being sold out...and on a school night even!!!!  There were a ton of people in their 3D glasses. It was great!  The movie is not one of Alfred Hitchcock's best but it was fun to watch it with an audience. It stars Ray Milland as a conniving golddigger of a husband (a great charming performance in a minor and somewhat dismissable Hitchcock) who uncovers his wife Grace Kelly's infidelity with Bob Cummings and attempts to have her killed murder-for-hire.  The film itself was only rarely shown in 3D upon its initial release so it was a real treat to see it like that. All that was notable though about the 3D was there were a lot of lamps in the way and Grace Kelly's hand was creepy when she grabs for some scissors. Otherwise, the film is one that can be skipped or postposed to the end of your Alfred Hitchock film fest. Although, it could be a camp classic because of some of the corny lines it it. Our fav was something like...

3-D!

Bob Cummings: "In a couple of days you're going to have the most wonderful breakdown!"

Grace Kelly: "Mark, I think I'm going to have that breakdown now!"

Ray Milland: "I'm so glad we don't have to go to Maureen's; she's such a filthy cook."

Oh those quotes...they are going down next to The Valley of The Dolls quotables now!  The crowd we believe felt the campiness too! There was a lot of laughter throughout which made some of the staginess of the film a little more palpalble We wonder if Hitchock meant it that way since he kind of ignored the whole 3D aspect and had the camera navigate around the lamps.  But the power of Ray Milland's villain and supporting player John Williams (who also appeared in Hitchock's The Paradine Case and To Catch A Thief as well as two epsiodes of 1979's Battlestar Galactica!) and as Inspector Hubbard does allow you to keep entertained and enjoy the naughtiness of Hitchock's banter upon occasion.

Although not a great film like Vertigo, Psycho, North By Northwest, or Rear Window, it was incredible to see the power of Hitchcock's name and reputation today with an audience of people of all ages going out on a nice evening and enjoying an old film.

Here is the trailer!  

Sean reports...

Back in August 2007 I told you all about my college roommate's brother Peter Tuinstra and his new movie Croc. Well it appears that it has finally made it to the SciFi Channel big time... Sunday March 30 at 11am EST!  (crickets start sounding) Ok ok so not a great time slot and probably not a great film, but I had to promote something from someone I know right?

Peter Tunistra Poolside

Sean adds...

Here is a list of what I think are the best of Oscar's Best Pictures and the worst.  Now this does not mean that what was left off was not good or bad. This does not mean that I don't like some of the worst listed. This is to indicate taht the films here either desereve the title now that time has passed or not.

The Best

1. Casablanca

2. Lawrence of Arabia

3. The Bridge on The River Kwai

4. Unforgiven

5. West Side Story

6. Annie Hall

7. All Quiet On The Western Front

The Worst

1. The Greatest Show On Earth

2. Around The World in 80 Days

3. My Fair Lady

4. Rain Man

5. Forrest Gump

Sean opines...

Paul Thomas Anderson is a director I rarely find fault with. His films Boogie Nights (one of my top 100 of all time) and Magnolia are two that I regularly visit and many of this flawed attempts like Hard Eight and Punch Drunk Love still are full of great moments.  That is why his attempt at the great American epic is painful to call a failure.

There Will Be Blood is an attempt to emulate Citizen Kane and The Godfather in so many ways. A strong male figure of notable success is the center of the film. Most of the man's life is taken on during the course of the film.  All have strained relationships with their sons.  Family does not necessarily mean kin. A preoccupation with greed over family is paramount to the direction of the man's life.  Citizen Kane succeeded because it truly was the first grand attempt and it has been emulated by all that followed. The Godfather, although not a favorite of mine, is a sage that led to devotion of billions around the world. There Will Be Blood collapses under the maniacal nature of its main character Daniel Plainview and the absurdity of the script's attempt to parallel the rise of Daniel and that of Eli Sunday (Paul Dano).  It is the battle of absolute corruption that noone wants to watch. You feel no sympathy for the character Daniel Day-Lewis commits to absolutely here.  Daniel's pure evil and insanity ultimately leaves the audience unenthused for the character's progression.  The famous scene of Lewis screaming about drinking Eli's milkshake just becomes laughable and puzzling - which is what a viewer walks away with. I would rather hear Kelis sing her famous song instead!

The film also is flawed in its pacing and attempts to move the story forward even in frame. I basically felt that I was watching the a documentary on how oil is drilled. The move begins with Daniel Plainview mining. No narrative hook, just a boring view of how to mine. This continues throughout. Sometimes it catches your interest but editing should have focused more on story and not on the how to. The score is a total failure. The score just made the film plod even in scenes! the cinematographer tried so hard to make this film visually stunning, but the score, script and director basically framed a scope that was dull.  I found myself leaving the theatre wondering why my director went wrong?

This is not a fun or interesting film to watch in my review. Daniel Day-Lewis' (a phenomenal actor) performance will be the Rain Man of our age if he wins the Oscar... lampooned more for its absurdity then his talent.  All and all 2 and 1/2 hours I wish I had back.

Sean opines...

Joel and Ethan Coen are one of the best director/writer teams ever. Their films have become ones that everyone remembers even though not always universally celebrated. Raising Arizona caught my attention first. "Son, you got a panty on your head." and "Now you take that diaper off your head and you put it back on your sister!" are quotes I regularly have walk through my mind on occasion because of that fun trip the bizarre mind of these two brothers created. Fargo was the next. Frances McDormand (Joel's wife) captured the attention of America in the bloody yet quirky film. Her "Thanks a bunch" is a staple in my day to day life. And I just caught O' Brother Where Art Thou? the other night, which was a pleasant surprise. Always the right amount of dark humor and brilliant cinematography from mainly Roger Deakins.  So why did I not like No Country For Old Men as much?

No Country For Old Men is a simple story about a man (Josh Brolin, in a great performance) who finds money in the desert and the clean up man who wants it back on principle. A modern western that pulls no punches when its time to kill and attempts to work off the addage that times have changed and with it the way and vigiliance of crime.  In a mixture of spaghetti and Sam Peckinpah westerns and Igmar Bergman reflection, No Country For Old Men pays homage to the Coen brothers inspiration.  They personify evil in Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).  Bardem quietly and methodically walks and murders through this film with perfection. A villain for the ages, down from heaven almost to wreak God's vegeance or Hell reclaiming its lost souls. The first coin flip scene is a classic. No conscience only signs from God as to who deseves mercy and who deserves death are his leading indicators.  A performance worthy of honor. But does the movie deliver the entire goods? No.

The weakness of the film is the ruminations of the Tommy Lee Jones character, the sheriff of the county that all the violence began.  He stands back and observes the action from afar, relating his sage maturity and in the end abandoning the fight because it is too intense for his old sensibilities. Granted the expectation at a much more interesting ending led to the disappointment; but, the ending given just is unitelligible.  The film plugs along though only to be killed in the last 4 minutes that caused the audience I saw it with to audibly say "WHAT???"  It might deserve a second viewing but the mystery is gone and from what I can gather I am not alone in my anger with the chosen finish. In addition, the editing of the film allows for drama to unfold but in some areas it seems to linger to long and bore the viewer.  Am I being to critical? Sure!  Did I have expectations? Of course! But what I received was a film that is 4/5ths great with the last 1/5th spoiling the whole barrel.

Ultimately, this is a flawed film that just can't get me to like it.

Sean opines...

The legal thriller is something that has always intrigued us as movie goers. Since the 1970s legal thrillers have since added the threat of something larger than just an unknown killer after our villain. The villain now is the multi-national corporation, the government, or a criminal/lawyer network.  George Clooney's thriller places morally neutral lawyer Michael Clayton in a position where he has to look into his soul for a solution. One of his dear friends (an incredible and Oscar-nominated Tom Wilkinson) is going crazy so he can feel his own humanity. Clayton (Clooney) is realizing that his safety net of a side business and his victory over his own addiction to gambling are lost or being lost. His relationship with his son is deteriorating because of his own disinterest. It is this moment in time that fate has given him the choice to make it all go right. However, he is an anti-hero because his own self-preservation is what motivates him finally to take on the windmill and attempt to slay his dragons. But is this an original film worthy of celebration or a repeat of similar plots and situations?

Although a quality production technically, the story suffers again from deja vu. Haven't we seen this film in say The Firm and other screen adaptations of John Grisham novels?  Isn't this The Parallax View, The Star Chamber, and most recently A Civil Action? The film does not make the villain everyone around him or at least culpable accomplices like in most thrillers. The symbolic villain in Tilda Swinton's character is a flawed one to say the least, unworthy of past corporate villains.  In the end the film is quite predictable and not as suspenseful as others.

Worthy of a view, but one for the ages.

Sean says...

As many of my long time friends and family know, I am a film addict.  And maybe foolishly I am doubly an Academy Awards addict.  Some hate the pageantry and the idea of choosing a "winner," but I enjoy it for what it is supposed to be - a celebration of film. They don't always get the "winners" correct, but in the long run people debate and find their favorites when they might not have found one before. Sure the whole process is getting old and the distribution of film in theatres is quickly being surpassed (or has been surpassed for a while) by home DVD viewing, on demand services on-line, or on your cable provider, and download. But to me the power of watching a film in a theatre is an amazing experience...cue creepy clip from Sunset Boulevard!

Now, five films have been selected from 2007 for the coveted and infamous Best Picture prize. I am not going to make a prediction here like I usually do because predictions this year for me have pretty much gone down in flames. And many of you will read this way after the prize is announced so why not focus on the film rather than the prize. So here is my take on all five (YES! I did get to see all five this year!) and a few samples of what each one has to offer. The next subsequent blog entries will capture my thoughts on each. Believe it or not I managed to personally see all five during the week of Feb 17 - 23, 2008!  Stefan saw two - Juno and Michael Clayton with me, the others just didn't catch his interest. Separate entries have been made to brake up my opinions so it is easier to read and manage by you.

The nominees are...

Atonement

Juno

Michael Clayton

No Country For Old Men

There Will Be Blood

Sean says...

How many of you guys out there loved the Speed Racer cartoon as a kid!  Emile Hirsch from Into The Wild gets to be Speed. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon play his parents. Christina Ricci shows up as Trixie. Matthew Fox of Lost fame is Racer X.  Paulie Litt is Spritle. And of course there is Chim Chim the Monkey!  I love monkeys!  Here is a look at the new trailer and a link to some of the old series!  The look of the movie is very Sin City and 300 which is great!  I hope though that its a better story then those others though. (hums theme song to self) Go Speed Racer gooooooooo!

Sean says...

Last night Stefan and I hung out with our friend Joe and Matt in a spontaneously arranged camp classic movie night!  On our list were the modern horror Showgirls... think of it as the raunchy A Star Is Born without Norman Main... and Valley of The Dolls.  Stefan had never seen Showgirls and Matt had only seen portions of Valley. I of course argued that if I were in the gay version of Valley, I would be the Barbara Parkins character of corrupted innocence... that woman has such a great voice!

Stefan says...

So, my question is, if Sean would be the Barbara Parkins character (or, more accurately, views himself as that character, which is debatable...but I digress...), what character would that make me?  Would I be Sharon Tate (which wouldn't be bad)?  With my luck, it would probably be either Lee Grant or Susan Hayward, both of whom sported awful wigs (you have my persmission to insert a joke here re: my receding hairline).  :-)

Sean says...

Showgirls is just bad film making all around. What makes it delicious is the cat fight quality between Gina Gershon (who steals the movie) and Elizabeth Berkley (who is so dull she couldn't excite a frat boy at spring break). Gershon is the only one who came out of the movie with devoted fans. She alone makes the film watchable and quotable, darlin'. Berkley just faded into nothing and no one remembers the men in it. But what makes this movie shine is that it was done with such vigor and a huge budget that it instantly turns into camp 13 years later we all enjoy... well those who can get passed all the attempts at nudity and soft-core sex that is truly dull. An example of the bad dialog.. the BEST quote is inappropriate since our Moms and my Dad read this blog:

Nomi Malone: Don't they have brown rice and vegetables?
Cristal Connors: Do you like brown rice and vegetables?
Nomi Malone: Yeah.
Cristal Connors: You do?
Nomi Malone: Sort of.
Cristal Connors: Really?
Nomi Malone: It's worse than dog food.
[Cristal laughs]
Nomi Malone: It is!
Cristal Connors: I've had dog food.
Nomi Malone: You have?
Cristal Connors: Mmm-hmmm. Long time ago. Doggy Chow. I used to love Doggy Chow. 
Nomi Malone: I used to love Doggy Chow, too!
[Cristal and Nomi touch their chips together]

The trailer is the only thing that really can be shown on a family blog like this, but not for children's eyes really.

Stefan says...

In my opinion, Elizabeth Berkley does the best she can with a lousy script and poor direction.  Overall, I believe she is better than the material (not unlike Lindsay Wagner in the original "Bionic Woman" series).

Sean says...

Valley of The Dolls has to be the pent-ultimate in camp though. A women's picture with great cat fights and quotable dialog done with all seriousness but camp in execution.  Patty Duke's career took a huge dive after the film. Sharon ("You know how bitchy fags can be!") Tate is only remembered in this film because of her grisly death a couple years later. And Barbara Parkins sadly walked off into the woods like her character only to be seen as the devoted champion of this film in later revivals. Check out the commentary she does on the dvd set, it is very enjoyable!

Here is some priceless dialog:

 
Neely O'Hara: Who are ya hiding from, Helen? The notices couldn't have been that bad.
Helen Lawson: The show just needs a little fine tuning.
Neely O'Hara: Don't worry, sweetheart. If the show folds I can always get a part as understudy for my grandmother.
Helen Lawson: Thanks. I already turned down the part you're playing.
Neely O'Hara: Bull! Merrick isn't that crazy.
Helen Lawson: You oughta know, honey, you just came out of the nuthouse.
Neely O'Hara: It was not a nuthouse!
Helen Lawson: Look. They drummed you right outta Hollywood! So ya come crawlin' back to Broadway. Well, Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope. Now you get outta my way, I got a guy waitin' for me.
Neely O'Hara: That's a switch from the fags you're usually stuck with!
Helen Lawson: At least I never had to MARRY one!
Neely O'Hara: YOU TAKE THAT BACK...
[pulls off Helen's wig while scuffling]
Neely O'Hara: ... oh my God, it's a wig! HER HAIR'S AS PHONY AS SHE IS!

The great trailer is below... Sean took the blue pills by the way... benedryl :

Below is an interview of Patty ("I'm Neely! Neely O'Hara!") Duke, Barbara ("Because I loved you!") Parkins, and Lee ("I'm going to heat up the lasagna!") Grant on The View in 2000 with Star Jones and Joy Behar. The interview was part of promotion for a revival showing of the film at a theatre in New York City. This interview is significant because after the revival Patty Duke has refused to do any other promotion of the film, including on the incredible dvd release in 2006.  

We had a great time!  There was an aborted attempt to watch The Apple but Matt and Stefan violently protested that it was unwatchable!  The Apple has to be the WORST musical I have ever seen... and I haven't seen much of it! Joe and I will have to watch it together sometime and cackle... Joe has to be my best cackle friend I think. LOL!  

What a great night of campy fun, friendship, Chinese food, and red wine!  Stefan even fixed a light fixture for Joe and Matt!  

Stefan says...

Plus, Charlie the cat, became my BFF (and I'm not even a cat person)!  We (the four humans) even fit in a great game of Scrabble before hitting the road.  Thanks, Joe & Matt, for a great night at your casa!