Movies & TV

Here is a link to a short interview with Wes Anderson, the director of Fantastic Mr. Fox. I think my daughter is just a bit too young for the movie theater or I would definitely treat her to this one. 

The Film

When he earned his Master's Degree in Drama from the University of Southern California in 1950, Sam Peckinpah ended his involvement in theater and started work in television, which he saw as his way into the movies. Growing up in California in the 30s, he spent much of his formative years riding horses, branding cattle and shooting firearms. His college years were preceded by service in the US Marines. His combative spirit got him into trouble, but he wrote for and directed several TV shows, actually writing the original screenplay that became the series The Rifleman. He worked with Don Siegel on four occasions before finally directing his first feature. But it was his second film, Ride the High Country, that put him on the map as a major filmmaker. The Wild Bunch and Straw Dogs are classics which helped earn him the nickname, "Bloody Sam." In 1972, Mr. Peckinpah would team up with Steve McQueen for an adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Getaway.

The movie's opening titles are interwoven with Doc McCoy's (Steve McQueen) life inside a prison, and set to the rhythmic workings of the machinery in the prison shop. He finally makes parole after instructing his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) to do whatever is necessary to get him out. She picks him up outside the prison, and then he tries to figure out what's next.

The next step turns out to be repaying a corrupt business man for using his influence to free him from prison. A robbery has been planned, and Doc is to help make it happen. Along with Carol he will be working with Rudy (Al Lettieri) and Frank. The bank robbery goes bad. Rudy kills Frank and attempts to kill Doc, but he gets the best of him and Doc and Carol take off with the money. Rudy is left for dead, but was wearing a bulletproof vest and isn't too happy to be out that much cash. Another attempted double-cross with the man behind the job leads the couple to make a run for the border, but as you can imagine, that will be anything but simple. On top of that, when Doc finds out what Carol had to do to get him out of prison, he's not so sure he wants her around anyway.

This film was one of the most financially lucrative of Mr. Peckinpah's career. The story is less than extraordinary, but the presence of McQueen and the direction from Peckinpah make it a very good thriller, which was their goal at the time since they both needed a hit. Ali MacGraw is an example of a model turned actress who can't really act. This doesn't detract much since McQueen and the bit characters (Lettieri, Sally Struthers and Slim Pickens) do a wonderful job. The editing of the opening credits is a great example of visual storytelling. Overall the look is fantastic, especially the explosive shootouts. Seeing this film gives you mere flashes of the talent of Mr. Peckinpah, but you get a full dose of Steve McQueen cool.

The Disc

The movie got a standard DVD release in 1997. A deluxe edition was released in 2005. The picture is widescreen and the audio is Dolby Digital 1.0. Extras include some commentary and a featurette as well as the trailer. A Blu-ray disc was released in 2007.

Film Connections

The Way of the Gun has a certain resemblence to The Getaway and other films by Mr. Peckinpah. It deserves a second look. In Deathproof, two characters get out of a car and squat down to have a discussion just as they do in this movie. And we aren't going to mention the 1994 remake.

 

Fox officially canceled Dollhouse yesterday, but said it would air the remaining eight episodes of the season. I don't know why I'm surprised by the news. Fox is notorious for killing some of the best shows on television. On the upside, it frees up Joss Whedon to do other things (Dr. Horrible 2, Maybe?). I would talk more about it but Entertainment Weekly beat me to it. I wish the networks would take a real chance every once and a while, because not every show can take off in the first 5 episodes. Hell, Seinfeld didn't really take off in ratings until season 4. Some shows just need time to grow an audience.

I leave you with what Joss had to say on Whedonesque.com

Hmm. Apparently my news is not news.

I don't have a lot to say. I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again.

I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking. Possibly that relaxation thing I've read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you'll know what my next project is. But for now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear.

Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again. -j.

SPOILER ALERT!

MattM and I sat down this morning to have a chat about the season three finale of Mad Men. We normally have this conversation at our desks, but today we decided to have it in front of a microphone. If you'd like to listen to two midwesterners cough and wax intellectual about an amazing television show, a link is available below. But for those of you who came to read I have done my best to boil down our 20 minute conversation into the following highlights.

Season three as a whole is a downer. Everybody loses something. Fathers, brothers, feet, innocence, promotions, ideas, companies and control. It all comes to a head with the assassination of President Kennedy, which causes everyone to pause and reevaluate further. The finale starts to pick things back up when Don and a rag tag crew of Sterling Copper employees decide to betray the British and split off and form a new agency. You see your favorite characters at their finest. They stop whining and decide to take back control of their lives.

Betty decides she wants a divorce from Don, no matter what it takes. But she is trading dependence on him for dependence on Henry Francis, whom she hardly knows. I can't see it working out between them. Oh, those poor Draper kids. Two weeks before Christmas their parents split up? That's rough. "Mommy's running off to Reno for an easy divorce. See you in six weeks. Love you." Certainly Sally and Bobby will be affected for the worse.

Predictions
We both guess that Season 4 will begin around February 1964, just before the British invasion of the Beatles. Matt believes Paul Kinsey will not be brought on at the new agency and will slowly disappear. I, on the other hand, believe Ken Cosgrove will disappear into the ranks of McCann, never to be seen again. We both think Salvatore Romano will be joining the new firm as art director, although Matt would rather they hire a certain beatnik greeting card illustrator from Season 1. Things won't work out between Betty and Henry, but it might take some time to break down.

Listen to our discussion.

Picture if you will a modern day Chitty Chitty Bang Bang minus Dick Van Dyke, throw in a slew of Michael Bay style action effects and you've got the new Russian film Black Lightning. Why do the Russians get flying cars while I'm still using roads like a sucker?

Check it out.

With Halloween this Saturday, I thought it the right time to share this movie monster chart, which runs the gamut from Chucky to the Cloverfield monster. It probably should go lower to include The Gingerdead Man, but my absolute favorite has to be the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters (but isn't he technically Gozer?). It's available as a tee shirt, which is way better than some crummy costume.

The Film

Journalism paved the way for John Boorman to make documentaries for the BBC, which in turn paved the way for him to make feature films. His first was a vehicle for the band Dave Clark Five called Catch us if You Can, meant to emulate the success of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night. It was only mildly successful, but it got his foot in the door and allowed him to move on to Hollywood. His first feature in America was the startlingly visual Point Blank in 1967 with Lee Marvin. After two more features he would make Deliverance, adapted by James Dickey from his own novel. Mr. Boorman has made quality films in the decades since (including Hope and Glory and The General) and continues to work, with two projects currently in pre-production.

During the opening we meet four men going on a canoe trip down a river which will cease to be after it is dammed to make a large lake. The talk amongst the men conveys their excitement for the trip and to be away from their daily routines in Atlanta. The experienced outdoorsman of the group is Lewis (Burt Reynolds), who much prefers the natural world over modern city life. Ed (Jon Voight) has been on trips with him before, but Bobby (Ned Beatty) and Drew (Ronny Cox) are new to this sort of outing. Before the trip begins the group finds some locals to drive their cars down river where they will finish their trip. Those they encounter are not especially accepting of them and in turn, the city guys are somewhat condescending. The only connection made with the hillbillies is when Drew and an inbred albino boy play a bluegrass tune together.  But as soon as it ends, the boy turns away and won't except his handshake.

After squaring away the arrangements, the four men head down the river in two canoes. The first day of the trip is enjoyable even though the rookies feel out of their element. They camp beside the river for the night. Bobby and Lewis don't exactly hit it off, so the following day they change canoe partners so Bobby rides with Ed. At one point the boats become separated. When Bobby and Ed stop and take a break, they are alone when two mountain men emerge from the woods. Almost immediately, the situation goes very badly and the men from Atlanta must decide on how they will proceed down this river. It will not be a pleasant ride.

The movie is an excellent thriller. The danger and tension continue to mount as it deals with the themes of masculinity, modernity and justice. The characters are forced to act in ways they've never had to before merely to survive. Each of the four main actors does a great job conveying the characters' differing personalities. The cinematography of the river is beautiful. Other than one strange use of banjo later in the film, I think Deliverance translates wonderfully to a contemporary audience. 

The DVD

There is a 2004 disc, but a deluxe edition was released in 2007. The visuals are widescreen and the audio is Dolby Digital 5.1. My fellow movie blogger Phil and I watched this film here at Klipsch in our Palladium listening room and it was fantastic. The extras include a 4-part retrospective, a vintage featurette and a commentary track by Mr. Boorman.

Film Connections

The most disturbing scene in Pulp Fiction pays homage to the most disturbing scene in Deliverance and is how I first heard of the movie. The 2004 film Mean Creek references it and has some similar plot points. The use of "Dueling Banjos" in Zombieland, now in theaters, is a clear reference as well. Nods to this movie have permeated popular culture, so these are just a few examples.

Instead of talking to you about a particular TV show I'm enjoying, I thought I would share an application that helps me remember when my shows are on. It's called TV Forecast [iTunes Link] and it's available for iPhone and iPod Touch.

The system is dead simple. Search for the shows you like and put them on your list. Your list is updated every time you open the app telling when the next new episode will be airing. Select a show on your list and TV Forecast will give you a summary of the upcoming episode (if available).

Now turn your iPhone/iPod sideways and a timer appears showing you just how many days, hours and minutes stand between you and a brand new episode.

It's also very handy for tracking shows that are not on the air. For example, one of my favorites, LOST is not returning for 104 days on (9 p.m. on February 3rd, 2010 to be exact), and you can be sure I won't be missing it. The app will cost you $1.99, and it's worth every single penny.

Check it out.

First off, apologies for my recent absence on the blog. I just got married and have been dealing with all the grown-up things that go with it. But speaking of growing up, I thought I would share the new trailer for Toy Story 3. I'm always weary of sequels, but Pixar has been on a roll with Wall•E and UP, so I hope they can keep the hot streak going.

Check it out.

The 1970s were a rich period in American movies - the early 70s especially. Here's a nod to some favorites that won't be getting their own blog post, with links to quality scenes. If you feel like I missed anything, any of your favorites, let me know in the comments.

Note: Some clips include spoilers and a reminder that not all the films (or clips) are suitable for children.

The Last Song  - Nashville (1975)

Do Not Open This Door - Young Frankentstein (1974)

The Golden Phone in Havana - The Godfather Part II (1974)

Off With His Nose - Chinatown (1974) 

Trash Talk - American Graffiti (1973)

A Man and His Garden -  Serpico (1973)

Leave the Gun - The Godfather (1972)

Calm on the Outside  -  A Clockwork Orange (1971)

A Word from the General - Patton (1970)

Honorable Mention: The Yakuza, Three Days of the Condor, Shampoo, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Sisters, The Sting, The Long Goodbye, What's Up Doc?, Cabaret, 1776, Two-Lane Blacktop, Shaft, The French Connection, The Last Picture Show, Harold and Maude, Carnal Knowledge, MASH, Love Story, Blazing Saddles

The Film

Cinema has provided a long and varied career for Peter Bogdanovich. He started out as an actor in the 1950s (as a youngster, he lied about his age to study with Stella Adler). During the 1960s he was a film programer for the Museum of Modern Art. He also started writing about film for Esquire, and produced books on famous directors including John Ford and Orson Welles. Then, like the famous French film critics before him, he made the jump to directing. The low-budget Targets, which he made for Roger Corman, was Mr. Bogdanovich's film school. He returned to journalism, meeting and interviewing many of the preimenent directors and stars of Hollywood's past. Finally, he made his mark as a filmmaker in 1971 with The Last Picture Show. He would go on to make many other fine films in the 1970s - including the wonderful Paper Moon. The years since have not always been kind to him personally and proffessionally, but he has continued to work as an actor (Sopranos) and director (Mask, The Cat's Meow). Today he is more visable for his role as an ascot-wearing commentator in documentaries and DVD suplimentary materials. 

Paper Moon takes place in the midwest during the 1930s. We begin at a funeral and find little Addie Logins (Tatum O'Neal) left alone following the death of her mother. Stopping in on the funeral is Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal). He swears not to be related to Addie (although they have the same jaw), but in light of his friendship with her mother, he is roped into taking her to her aunt in Missouri. We learn quite early that Moses makes a living as a con artist. Feeling entitled, Addie demands the $200 that he made exploiting her situation. Their relationship starts out rocky, but on the road they find they can each benefit from a partnerhip that will last until Missouri. 

The movie pays homage to some of the film stylings of the 30s, especially the comic dialog. The short bursts back and forth are clever and hilarious. Shot in glorious black and white by Laszlo Kovacs, sometimes you are actually fooled as to when the movie was made. Mr. Bogdanovich's encyclopedic knowledge of American movies, as well as his friendships with many key filmmakers of that era, enable him to pull it off to great effect. In addition we must give credit to the unbelievably delightful performances by the father-daughter duo. Never has a child actor been more confident, cute, or funny than Tatum O'Neal in this movie. Their chemistry is just right, although apparently they haven't been able to sustain that in their actual relationship. Madeline Kahn also gives a memorable performance for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. Paper Moon is a most charming movie with a great ending that both witholds and satisfies.

The DVD

The disc was released in 2003. The movie's in the widescreen format of its original release and the sound is Dolby 2.0 mono, which works well for this dialog driven feature. Extras include a commentary by Mr. Bogdanovich and a 35-minute documentary entitled The Making of Paper Moon.

Film Connections

In its loving revival of 30s comedic conventions, I am immediately reminded of Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?. There is a psuedo father-child relationship that involves con artistry in P.T. Anderson's debut, Sydney (Hard Eight). And the father-child con game is also played in Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men.

 

The Film

Hal Ashby was not someone that studio executives were jumping up and down to work with, even as early as 1971. He already had a reputation of distrusting authority and being incommunicative. Yet his next project was to direct a Robert Towne screenplay called The Last Detail. While location scouting in Canada for the film he was busted for marijuana possession. Somehow he was not fired and went on to make a great film and my favorite by Mr. Ashby . Unlike the broad humor that characterized the social commentary in Harold and Maude, The Last Detail questions the lives of it's protagonists with subtlety and even affection.

The film opens with a couple of sailors, "Bad Ass" Buddusky (Jack Nicholson) and "Mule" Mulhall (Otis Young), being called in to hear they've been assigned a shore patrol. They'll be transporting a young seaman named Larry Meadows (Randy Quaid) up the coast to Portsmouth Naval Prison. He's been court-marshaled for stealing $40 from the favorite charity of the "Old Man's wife." Since this isn't going to be too dangerous of a task, the two "lifers" plan to get Meadows to Portsmouth as quickly as possible and use the rest of their time and per diem to have some fun in Boston and New York. After meeting Meadows, a large and awkward kid, it seems like it will be easier still.

But as they set out and start talking to Meadows they begin to like the kid and feel that he deserves a good time before he goes away. "Bad Ass" feels especially strongly about it and explodes when a bartender refuses to give Meadows a beer because he's too young. The bartender says he's going to call the shore patrol, to which he famously pulls out his firearm and says, "I am the *&%^! shore patrol!" Early on we realize that "Mule" isn't against a good time but he just wants to do his job and "Bad Ass" isn't against his job but he just wants to have a good time. He takes Meadows under his wing and basically forces him to experience what he sees as all the essential rights of passage. The trip is an eventful one and reveals a lot about each character.

If you enjoy character-driven road movies then you will really like The Last Detail. Movies where you virtually "hang out" with characters are amongst my favorites. The acting is excellent and brings these well-crafted grunts to life from a wonderful script by Towne. When asked why there is so much profanity in the dialogue, Towne responded that these guys were virtually impotent to make any change in their circumstances. As mentioned before, they are "lifers" existing in a rigid military existence that they both need and hate. So the only power they exhibit is in their language, in the colorful way they complain about or object to most everything. The journey they experience forces them to react to situations familial, religious and political. The cinematography is bleak and beautiful and I really think the editing is great. The slow fades between actors during a conversation on a train particularly stick out to me. This movie is first rate and well worth seeing for a young Nicholson working at the height of his ability. 

The DVD

The disc was released in 1999 and gives both widescreen and fullscreen options for viewing. The sound is in Dolby Digital 2.0 and there are no extras of note.

Film Connections

Wes Anderson and Judd Apatow have each discussed their fondness for Mr. Ashby's movies and they've both referenced The Last Detail in their own films (The Royal Tenenbaums and Funny People). A fairly recent road movie that also has the characters getting to know each other while on the move is the enjoyable Almost Famous by Cameron Crowe.

Neil Patrick Harris hosted, had a great opening number, and also made an appearance as Dr. Horrible (featuring Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer).

"30 Rock" won for best Comedy, and "Mad Men" won for best drama. Two of my favorite shows getting the recognition they deserve.

Individual winners include Bryan Cranston for best lead actor in a drama for "Breaking Bad"" (which is an amazing little show on AMC). Michael Emerson won best supporting actor in a drama for his creepy role as Benjamin Linus on "LOST". And, no surprise, Alec Baldwin won best supporting actor for "30 Rock". The guy is such a pro.

Most people have heard the news, but for those who don't know, Patrick Swayze died Monday. He was 57. To honor him, I've compiled a list of my top five Swayze movies.

Dirty Dancing
This movie is now so deeply rooted into our pop culture that to leave it off the list would be a sin. While I didn't have the time of my life, I definitely earned major chic points watching it. I also regularly use the phrase, "No one puts baby in a corner."

To Wong Foo
Described to me as a drag queen road trip, I was initially uninterested. I was later proven wrong by this funny and touching flick. Plus it takes a guy who is extremely comfortable in his manliness with some serious balls to wear a dress.

Ghost
Yeah, I liked it. So what? It's Ghostbusters meets All My Children. It's a paranormal love story. Plus, when you think about it, it was actually Whoppi Goldberg and Demi Moore making out with each other in the famous sculpting wheel scene. Try to get that picture out of your head.

Donnie Darko
Swayze plays a self-help guru who's got all the quick fix answers to your social and mental problems. The man is clearly full of it and totally sells the performance. Minus the cult following, it's a very underrated movie.

Point Break
To this day I still do know how this film got made. The plot is ridiculous, and Keanu Reeves and Gary Busey are terrible in it. It's clearly a case of "so bad that it's good." Swayze plays a surfing, thrill seeking, bank robber named Bodhi. I always love the ending when Bodhi goes out to grab that one last monster wave. What a way to go. 

The Film

If little green men land and request a human representative to explain American cinema, we would send them Martin Scorsese. He is an enthusiastic student of the medium as well as a true master. Suffering from asthma as a child, he spent more time watching movies than playing outside. After deciding against the priesthood, he enrolled at NYU film school graduating in 1969 with an MFA in film directing. After editing work on Woodstock, directing B-movie Boxcar Bertha for Roger Corman and a frank discussion with mentor John Cassavetes, he was ready to make his first personal film, Mean Streets.

The film opens with Charlie (Harvey Keitel) waking in a cold sweat. Mr. Scorsese himself narrates Charlie's thoughts on sin before we hear "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes usher in the credits. Contemporary rock music began transforming film soundtracks with Easy Rider, but there is something different going on in this film. Mr. Scorsese has the uncanny ability of marrying sound and image in such a way that each are heightened. It is fascinating to see what has become one of his signature talents in its infancy.

We learn that Charlie has a consciense and frequents confession, yet he also wants to move up in his neighborhood's underworld heirarchy. Making things more difficult is his longtime friend Johnny Boy (Robert DeNiro), who flies off the handle and owes money to several creditors. We follow Charlie and Johnny Boy and an interesting cast of Little Italy goons. They fight, they steal, they go to the movies. Johnny Boy is like family, yet Charlie is faced with tough decisions as his behavior becomes more self-destructive and endangers Charlie's own ambitions.

This is a great "first" film. And as I mentioned, it is wonderful to see Mr. Scorsese's cinematic signatures present early in his work. The camera moves all over the place. There are moments that remind me of similar shots in Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino or The Departed. Keitel and DeNiro shine, and Amy Robinson is also good as Charlie's girlfriend Teresa. The casting was spot on and gives the film a very naturalistic quality. If you liked any of the above mentioned movies, you should give this a look.

The DVD

A version was released in 1998 but was replaced by a special edition in 2004. The picture has been ehanced in the transfer and looks great. Sound is in Dolby Digital 2.0 and does a fine job with the pop tunes and terse dialogue. Extras include commentary by Scorsese and Robinson as well as a featurette.

Film Connections

The movie I find has the greatest connection to Mean Streats is his 1990 film Good Fellas. They'd form a great double bill. Spike Lee's signature shot of an actor traveling on a dolly with the camera is an homage to a shot in Mean Streets and can be seen in nearly all his films. And in the Sam Mendes film Jarhead, we see a red-lit bar scene that clearly evokes the ones in this film.