irshLace

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-04-16T21:49:00.006-05:00

I remember reading "Where the Wild Things Are" back when I was in elementary school. My art teacher even had us paint a picture of one of the creatures from the story. Now, a movie will be released in Fall 2009.

According to the Book Blog, however, there are some problems with the film adaptation. At a test screening, the film was so frigtening that children were crying and running out of the theater. I suppose that's not good for a movie that's geared toward kids! In any case, here's the trailer:

BEHIND THE MOVIE: Looking at a "Pretty Woman"

2009-04-16T19:46:00.006-05:00

Garry Marshall’s "Pretty Woman" (1990) emphasizes the difficulties among class relations by taking a look at the lives of a prostitute and white collar businessman as they transform from hiding their own inadequacies, to people wanting more out of their life. The plot follows Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) and Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) in their journey to survive in a world that defines blatant class boundaries.

Edward, a businessman struggling with different aspects in his life, confronts Vivian on Hollywood Boulevard who escorts him back to his expensive Los Angeles suite. Previously uncomfortable about Vivian’s occupation as an L.A. hooker, Edward comes to terms with her inferiority and establishes her as a member of his own upper-class society. As Vivian learns to adapt in the world of the rich, she proves to be an outlet for Edward to express his concerns, hopes, and dreams.

The narrative comically shows Vivian’s own ineptitude at being a socialite and Edward’s escort to various business functions. Yet as the plot demonstrates her rising status, it correspondingly degrades her once again. Edward calms his lawyer Philip Stuckey’s (Jason Alexander) fears that Vivian is a spy working for a competing firm, by revealing that she is indeed a hooker.

Through the course of the movie, Edward and Vivian develop a strong bond that comes as a shock to both. As emotionally unattached characters, Edward and Vivian allow themselves to express emotion as the film progresses; something that in the past, neither has permitted. Their happenstance meeting on an L.A. street that established no expectations from the beginning, develops into a love affair that rejects all societal notions of how those of opposing classes normally interact. Various cinematic strategies define each class from the beginning to the end through a series of three major plot developments. Two very confident people outwardly satisfied in their own societal role at the beginning, adapt to their changing attitudes about class relations by learning from each other, and finally come to terms with the different class. Thus they gain a newfound alternate perspective about personal goals and their outlook on life.

The relationship and corresponding emotional development between these two previously emotionally detached characters shows that how despite drastically opposite lifestyles, people from different classes are intrinsically similar. "Pretty Woman" defines class politics through cinematic techniques, character dialogue and actions, and an established code of conduct that distinguishes the inferior from the superior. The film attempts to prove an ideology that money does not serve as the foundation of happiness nor does it solve all problems. Instead, it is not foolish to think people of different classes may not only have a relationship with one another, but indeed be a positive influence in each other’s lives.

The beginning of the film is characterized by references that indicate the differences between class relations. Vivian’s friend Kit De Luca (Laura San Giacomo), who is a hooker herself, exhibits a distasteful attitude and is called a “grouch” in one scene. Kit claims she is hungry, and this proposed hunger comes as a direct result of not having enough money for food. Likewise, Edward is characterized as a “grouch” by many due to his ruthless attitude, which he claims is simply inherent of a good businessman. The difference between the two attitudes, however, lies with the explanation for such unpleasantness. Kit’s mood is induced as a product of their means of living, whereas Edward’s distasteful persona may be categorized as a means of achieving a product — which in his case, would be closing an important business deal. The significance of such an observation proposes that the inferior class does not intentionally display unfavorable characteristics, but it is merely a consequence of their status. Contrarily, this indicates the opposite for people of Edward’s social class: that unfavorable characteristics are almost necessary and an accepted component required to succeed in their upper-class lifestyle.

Throughout, the story establishes those of lower class to have a greater moral compass, which is contradictory in the sense that Vivian is a hooker. Yet time after time, repeated images and dialogue suggest to the viewer that Vivian is ultimately a good person. Family photos adorn her apartment in the beginning of the film, whereas any personal effects are distinctly absent from Edward’s material things. His relationship with his father, viewers find out, was strained and complicated and he was not present when he died. Vivian shows concern with how people feel, and asks Edward if he wants to talk about his father dying. She likewise points out that the owner of a company that Edward wants to buy seems like “a nice old man.” These references to emotion and an understanding of people on a personal level seem contradictory to Vivian’s own standoffish feelings, such as her rule of never kissing on the lips.

As a very linear film that clearly develops the characters based on past actions, the first scenes of the movie establish both Vivian and Edward as people apparently confident in their business role, but a bit rocky internally. A series of cuts that show Vivian getting ready for a typical night on the street proves to be a cinematic technique that allows viewers a chance to understand her character. She uses a black marker to color her boots, which she then straps on with safety pins. She puts on bracelets, her makeup, her wig. Symbolically, each in their own form actually serve as a mask that covers her true self. As viewers learn in a later scene, the black wig covers her own naturally long, curly red hair. A ladder by Vivian’s window provides her with an escape route to avoid her landlord who stands a few doors down. As a visual testament to not only her own troubles with figures of superiority, but her belief that she is “not good enough” as a human being, she descends by ladder. Literally and figuratively Vivian prompts the audience to consider how she is climbing down the ladder in society.

Despite cinematic reference to class status, this does not indicate Vivian is a weak member of society. In fact, she displays characteristics that define her as a confident woman who does things her own way. “You can’t charge me for directions,” Edward says to her when he first meets her on the street. “I can do anything I want to baby,” Vivian replies. Finally Edward retorts with “You win, I lose,” and admits she can do as she pleases. Not only does this scene establish that Edward is actually helpless because he is lost on the streets of L.A., but also foreshadows how he is lost within himself. In fact, in a later scene Vivian meets Edward’s friends on a horse outing and questions the sincerity of his friendships: “No wonder you came looking for me.” Vivian additionally verbally displays a sense of power over Edward by repeatedly telling him that “we say who, we say when, we say how much,” in reference to the hooker’s control in a situation. An overtly physical reference to Vivian’s display of power comes in the former car scene when Edward is unable to successfully drive his lawyer’s manual car. Often in movies, a car references a man’s masculinity and when a car is destroyed or taken, similarly is his status as a powerful and effective male. In this case, Vivian literally gets in the seat of Edward’s car and prepares him for the “ride of his life.” Thus through these series of verbal comments and physical actions, money is, for the time being, blatantly disregarded and the two people come down to a level playing field. Vivian exerts her power while at the same diminishing and exploiting Edward’s own faults.

Edward’s faults, however, are not limited to this one scene. Not only does Vivian exhibit her knowledge about cars, but she serves as a direct contrast to Edward’s apparent lack of knowledge on the subject. In fact, he tells her his first car was a limousine: which only references how once again, he is not the driver but merely a passenger. Furthermore, Edward’s inadequacies come forth when viewers learn how he has an ex-wife, an ex-girlfriend Jessica, and never eats or sleeps. He does not know how to properly tie his own tie — which of course Vivian knows how to do — and has a fear of heights. It is his anxiety toward heights that Vivian most emphasizes throughout the movie, questioning why he chooses to live in a penthouse, why he decides to sit in the highest seat at the opera, or why he owns a plane if he has such a fear.

Yet Vivian’s faults are exhibited in a similar fashion. This parallel helps viewers erase the line that drew a distinction between classes in terms of inferiority. Both Vivian and Edward become exposed for their own shortcomings, and ultimately learn from each other to improve themselves. Edward, in turn, points out Vivian’s restlessness and habit of fidgeting. She has trouble buying clothes at stores whose employees ask her to leave, does not know to tip the bellboy, lacks proper dinner etiquette, and is insecure about people looking at her awkwardly when she shops on Rodeo Drive. Her seeming lack of money proves to be a factor of discrimination when she tries to shop in an upscale store. Likewise, Edward’s apparent wealth is also a factor of discrimination. He parks in the alley behind the club Vivian frequents, and people demand money from him.

When Kit first sees Vivian after a time apart, she tells Vivian that, “It’s easy to clean up when you got money.” Yet the focus turns away from the money aspect and focuses more about their emotional relationship. The turning point in the story is not when Kit identifies Vivian’s transformation through acquiring monetary funds, but during the bedroom scene when Vivian finds Edward asleep. Marshall makes use of a medium shot that shows Vivian going up to a sleeping Edward, and then cuts to a close-up of her kissing him on the lips. This scene functions as a confrontation of past anxieties; Edward apparently never sleeps, but is shown doing so in this scene. Vivian likewise never kisses on the lips, but is shown doing so here.

Ultimately money doesn’t solve all problems, and often people put on a persona to hide insecurities and faults. It is not the money that saves Vivian from a perpetual life as a hooker, nor is it the money that transforms Edward into the man he becomes. In the end, in a dramatic flourish, Edward rides his white “steed” of a limo to “rescue” Vivian from her apartment tower. Similar to other movies in the typical Hollywood blockbuster, the woman ends up exactly where she started. This notion, although true of Pretty Woman, is only partially correct. Vivian literally ends up back where she started: in her old apartment. Yet she is intrinsically different as the audience makes the assumption, with indication from Vivian, that she will not revert back to her old ways as a hooker.

By meeting an upper-class man, Vivian has shed her class conceptions and learned a great deal about opening up to people and being herself. Likewise, Edward conquers his fear of heights as he climbs up the ladder to her apartment — which serves as a nice circular structure that parallels the beginning of the film when Vivian climbs down the same ladder. Perhaps Edward stated it best when he said, “You and I are such similar creatures. We both screw people for money.” Yet although it was the money that defined them before, money, like class, is no longer an issue by the end. Despite this, viewers are still aware of such prejudices when it comes to money, as Edward reminds Vivian: “People are never nice to people. They’re nice to credit cards.” "Pretty Woman" redefines class stereotypes to be less about the money and more about how people can reshape each other’s attitudes and outlooks on life. The “I Love Lucy” show that Vivian watched on television at the beginning of the movie foreshadowed events to come.

The characters on the screen were crushing grapes, which translated into the relationship between Edward and Vivian. The grapes, which taste all right if eaten alone, were made into something better with some direction and implementation by others. They were made into wine.

"The Three Stooges" Movie To Be Released 2010

2009-03-25T20:22:00.010-05:00

It may seem like an early April Fool's joke, but there's no "nyuk nyukking" here. Sean Penn, after winning a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Harvey Milk, is set to star as Larry (one of the three stooges), in the upcoming movie adapated from the famous short films. It will be directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, and released sometime in 2010.

The New York Times reported that MGM is still admid negotiations with Jim Carrey, who will play Curly. They also hope to bring Benicio Del Toro on board as Moe.

I can see why they chose Jim Carrey, but Del Toro and Penn seem to be a cut above a slapstick comedy role. What about Jack Black or Mike Myers?

Here's a clip from "The Three Stooges," the vintage version:

100 Movies to See Before You Die

2009-03-24T20:15:00.006-05:00

The Yahoo! Movies Editorial Staff recently compiled a list of the Top 100 movies you should see before you die. I think it's an interesting list, and agree that most of those that I've seen, are indeed classic movies. I was surprised by "Gone With the Wind," "Braveheart," "Dances With Wolves," and "Forrest Gump" not making it, though. What about "The Breakfast Club"? Another classic. I think it's hard to pick just 100, as tastes in movies are personal and one list is never going to satisfy everyone.

In total, I've personally seen half (49). They're listed below. See the full list here. So what do you think? What great movies are missing from the list?

12 Angry Men (1957)
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, E. G. Marshall
8 ½ (1963)
Directed By: Federico Fellini
Starring: Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimee
All About Eve (1950)
Directed By: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders
Annie Hall (1977)
Directed By: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
Casablanca (1942)
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
Chinatown (1974)
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
Citizen Kane (1941)
Directed By: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore
Die Hard (1988)
Directed By: John McTiernan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore
The Exorcist (1973)
Directed By: William Friedkin
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair,
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
Directed By: Amy Heckerling
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold,
The French Connection (1971)
Directed By: William Friedkin
Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider
The Godfather (1972)
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan,
The Godfather, Part II (1974)
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton
Goldfinger (1964)
Directed By: Guy Hamilton
Starring: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman
Goodfellas (1990)
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
The Graduate (1967)
Directed By: Mike Nichols
Starring: Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Katharine Ross,
Groundhog Day (1993)
Directed By: Harold Ramis
Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
It Happened One Night (1934)
Directed By: Frank Capra
Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Directed By: Frank Capra
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
Jaws (1975)
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Why You Should See It
King Kong (1933)
Directed By: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Shoedsack
Starring: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Directed By: David Lean
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn
The Lord of the Rings (2001,2002,2003)
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Directed By: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
Directed By: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Tim Matheson
On the Waterfront (1954)
Directed By: Elia Kazan
Starring: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Directed By: Milos Forman
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield
Princess Mononoke (1999)
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Billy Crudup, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver
Psycho (1960)
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Rear Window (1954)
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr
Schindler's List (1993)
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Directed By: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Directed By: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Directed By: David Hand
Starring: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Directed By: Billy Wilder
Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon
The Sound of Music (1965)
Directed By: Robert Wise
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Star Wars (1977)
Directed By: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Directed By: James Cameron
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton
The Third Man (1949)
Directed By: Carol Reed
Starring: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles
Titanic (1997)
Directed By: James Cameron
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Why You Should See It
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Directed By: Robert Mulligan
Starring: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford
Toy Story (1995)
Directed By: John Lasseter
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Directed By: Bryan Singer
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne
Vertigo (1958)
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak
When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Directed By: Rob Reiner
Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Directed By: Victor Fleming
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger

The Academy Awards Cross Borders

2009-02-24T20:18:00.017-06:00

Either the Academy Awards seem to be going more international, or America has less top talent in Hollywood. Sean Penn, sans accent, was the only U.S. winner for one of the top five big awards. He was born in Burbank, California. The others?

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger -- Born in Perth, Australia

Best Actress: Kate Winslet -- Born in Reading, England

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz -- Born in Madrid, Spain

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire -- British drama that is set and filmed in India

In addition, the Best Picture winner had seven other wins, which went to British filmmakers -- one of which was Danny Boyle, born in Radcliffe, England.

Japan won the Best Foreign Film category, as well as Best Animated Short Film for "La Maison en Petits Cubes." Kunio Kato, the Japanese filmmaker, had some difficulty forming his thoughts into English, offering many thank-yous and finally quoted the Styx song (which has the Japanese saying): "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto."

Even the host himself, Mr. Hugh Jackman, was born in New South Wales, Australia.

81st Academy Award Winners

2009-02-22T18:50:00.011-06:00

Hugh Jackman will be hosting tonight's 81st Academy Awards. In an interview with Barbara Walters, Jackman said there needs to be "more show, less business" at the Oscar award's ceremony. Hopefully he'll deliver an entertaining show. He's reported to sing in some capacity.

I've listed some of the award categories that most interest me. I'll update with the Oscar winner as they're announced:

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Richard JenkinsTHE VISITOR

Frank LangellaFROST/NIXON

Sean PennMILK

Brad PittTHE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Mickey RourkeTHE WRESTLER

Best Supporting Actor

Josh BrolinMILK

Robert Downey Jr.TROPIC THUNDER

Philip Seymour HoffmanDOUBT

Heath LedgerTHE DARK KNIGHT

Michael ShannonREVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Anne HathawayRACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Angelina JolieCHANGELING

Melissa LeoFROZEN RIVER

Meryl StreepDOUBT

Kate WinsletTHE READER

Best Supporting Actress

Amy AdamsDOUBT

Penélope CruzVICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Viola DavisDOUBT

Taraji P. HensonTHE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Marisa TomeiTHE WRESTLER

Best Animated Feature Film

BOLT

KUNG FU PANDA

WALL-E

Best Director

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

FROST/NIXON

MILK

THE READER

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Score

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

DEFIANCE

MILK

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

WALL-E

Best Song

"Down to Earth"WALL-E "

Jai Ho"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"

O Saya"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Picture

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

FROST/NIXON

MILK

THE READER

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Adapted Screenplay

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

DOUBT

FROST/NIXON

THE READER

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Original Screenplay

MILK

Chicago in the Movie Scene

2009-02-22T17:57:00.011-06:00

Today's Chicago Tribune Magazine features Johnny Depp on the cover. Depp will be playing John Dillinger in the upcoming movie "Public Enemies."

I actually had the chance to almost walk right on the set while they were filming in Chicago back in July.

As I was walking on Wacker Drive, a security guard came up and said they were filming ahead and that we couldn't walk into the scene. Sure enough, a camera was positioned at the corner of the street and a pack of vintage cars drove across the bridge.

Individuals dressed in period costumes strolled on the sidewalk just ahead of me. It was a cool experience to witness the filming firsthand (although I unfortunately didn't get a glimpse of Johnny Depp or Christian Bale), but movies set and filmed in Chicago is certainly nothing new.

Some of the most notable movies filmed in Chicago (at least partly) include: "The Blues Brothers," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "High Fidelity," "Home Alone," "Risky Business," "Road to Perdition," "The Sting," "The Fugitive," "In the Heat of the Night," Ordinary People," and "Batman: The Dark Knight."

Ironically, the Best Picture Oscar winner not filmed at all in the Chicago area? The musical "Chicago."

Not only the films themselves, but many famous actors have connections to Chicago as well.

Richard Jenkins, currently up for Best Actor for his work in "The Visitor," was born and raised in suburban DeKalb. Harrison Ford, Terrence Howard, Virginia Madsen and John C. Reilly were also born in the city. While Joan Cusack was not (she was born in New York City), the Cusack family moved to suburban Evanston.

The youngest-ever Best Actress winner, Marlee Matlin (who is almost entirely deaf), was born in Morton Grove, Ill., and attended high school in nearby Arlington Heights.

Lastly, the ultimate Oscar connection to the city? The Oscar statuettes are made in Chicago.

The Academy Awards officially start tonight at 8:30 PST on ABC.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-21T11:54:00.011-06:00

I have a feeling "Slumdog Millionaire" is going to steal the show, and probably win Best Picture, Best Score, Best Song, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was a good movie, and I enjoyed the music.

Ironically, I have written about the film's composer, A.R. Rahman, for the University of Illinois Electrical & Computer Engineering Department. He is a fan of Lecturer Lippold Haken's instrument called the Continuum Fingerboard, a very cool fretless keyboard, without keys. I'm not sure if Rahman used the Continuum in "Slumdog Millionaire," but it's possible. There seems to be a lot of unique sounds in the two songs up for awards: O Saya and Jai Ho. Surprisingly, the Academy only felt the need to nominate three songs this year -- the two from Rahman and Peter Gabriel's Down to Earth from "WALL-E."

Here is Rahman's song Jai Ho, which appears near the end of the movie if I remember correctly:

Artist M.I.A. also contributes to the movie with her Paper Planes song:

A Little Bit of Oscar Trivia

2009-02-19T20:06:00.005-06:00

The 81st Academy Awards are almost here. I came across an Oscar's Trivia Quiz of 17 questions related to historical wins, the best actors and actresses of the past and today.

I took the quiz, and unfortunately only got 11/17 right. I guess I need to study my Oscar history a little more! Feel free to let me know how you did.

A lot of people have said the Academy has been out of touch with public opinion for awhile. Case in point: no best picture nomination for either "The Dark Knight," or "WALL-E."

I still have not seen "The Reader," so I guess I can't accurately judge, but I don't think it should be nominated. I didn't find the book all that interesting, and was surprised to learn they actually had enough appealing material to make a movie adaptation. Apparently Kate Winslet will win for Best Actress for her acting, so it must not be all that bad.

I do have Chicago Tribune writer, Mark Caro, in support though:

"The folks behind “The Dark Knight” can’t be pleased right now, and best actress non-nominee Sally Hawkins may be riding the bum train, but one party’s Oscar nominations announcement losses tower above everybody else’s: ABC-TV.

How many millions of viewers and advertising dollars did the network lose Thursday morning? The best rated shows have been the ones in which a very popular movie cleans up, such as “Titanic” (1997) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003).

“The Dark Knight” probably wouldn’t have won best picture, but it was far and away the year’s most popular film ($531 million domestically, second only to “Titanic”) as well as one of the most acclaimed. “The Dark Knight” tallied 94 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to 60 percent for “The Reader,” which has grossed a total of $7.9 million to date.

Yet “The Reader” is a best picture (and director) nominee, and “The Dark Knight” is not. Yes, the highbrow Holocaust film with lukewarm reviews is in the game!"

It's unfortunate, especially considering they don't really have a category to honor action/thriller films. "The Dark Knight" was one of the best I've seen in a long time.

As I was reviewing the Oscar award categories, I considered how I never have the opportunity to watch any of the nominated short films. On February 19, the Animation Blog posted a rare Oscar-nominated short film called "Guard Dog." The full version is now available online, even though it was made in 2004.

Please Note: It's pretty violent.

Funny Videos Funny Cartoons More Video Clips

"Fargo" Not That Far From the Truth...

2008-09-14T22:47:00.002-05:00

...Or is it? I recently had the opportunity to watch a movie that many people have always recommended to me. The thing I noticed in the first few seconds of the film? The words on the screen:

Based on a true story.

You may say, 'So what?' It's a true story, so it should be even more intriguing to the viewers who will sit through 2-hours of a real-life account. It's no fabricated fairy tale of a story from the imaginations of the screenwriters, the directors, the actors who add their own quirkiness to a character role. It's based on real people with real experiences, real emotions, real actions that had real consequences.

Except there is one thing the Coen brothers (who directed the film) forgot to mention. It's actually not a true story. Not even close. But hey, they thought they'd throw that phrase in there for the fun of it.

Beside the fact that the story starts off misleading, it's actually a good movie. The plot focuses on two men hired by a husband to kidnap his wife for a ransom. The kidnapping leads to a series of other murders, which are investigated by a pregnant police chief (played by Frances McDormand -- who later went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for the role).

Perhaps one of the most notable features of the film has to be the speech of the characters. As the story is based in North Dakota and Minnesota, it is fairly shocking for an outsider to hear the native regional accent chock-full of the use of "yah" and "you betcha," accompanied with emphatic head-nodding. It definitely adds another element to the movie, making it almost inappropriate to laugh at their lingo when characters are on-screen discussing a gruesome murder scene.

Overall, though, a recommended movie.

So what do you think? Does it bother you if they claim it's a true story, when it isn't? Or is it just a tactic of Hollywood cinema to amp up the buzz about a film?

Sisters of Another Time: The Boleyn Girls

2008-09-09T21:07:00.007-05:00

For some reason, I'm a huge fan of historical films. "Patriot"; "Gladiator"; "Braveheart" and "Pride & Prejudice" all rank among movies that I can watch over and over again and never get bored.

I will say that I was a bit 'prejudiced' before viewing "The Other Boleyn Girl," though. I thought it would mock other similar historical films by creating this fluff of a story that relied on the appeal of Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman to capture audiences. I was proven wrong.

The film, also starring Eric Bana (you may remember him from "Troy") as King Henry VIII, focuses on the lives of the two Boleyn sisters: Anne played by Portman, Mary played by Johansson. They both contend for the king's affection, eventually displacing his then-queen, Catherine of Aragon.

Anne and Mary have different approaches to their relationship with the king, and glaringly opposite motives. Power, jealousy and revenge are a common thread throughout the plot, however.

If you're not aware of the historical story of the Boleyn girls, most notably for how the affair turns out, then I won't ruin it for you. I thought the acting was believable and I enjoyed watching the movie. It's worth renting if you're in the mood for a story of love, betrayal, vengeance, and the quest for ultimate control.

Lucasfilm gets writer to yank negative review

2008-09-03T22:41:00.010-05:00

Movie reviews are meant to inform others about the content in a film, the general plot, and whether or not you would recommend it. Taste in movies is a very personal matter; much like your taste in music.

Apparently one movie reviewer found "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," released mid-August, to be bad. No, not just bad. Horrible. Dreadful. Appalling. Worthy of such harsh criticism that he needed to write just exactly how he felt about the thing.

While I would consider his review to in fact be mildly offensive to those involved in its creation, in reality, it's still just one person's opinion. Sure, his opinion may matter to some people and in turn discourage them from wanting to see the film. But does this warrant demanding he remove his over-the-top "this is a horrible movie" review? I think not.

The controversy lies in how "Knowles, the founder of fan-driven movie site Ain't It Cool News, published this unabashedly negative review ("hated the score, the animation, the shots, the characters and most of all the retarded ******** idiot story") of the animated film "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." After viewing the movie, Knowles's post was unpublished.

Hollywood Newsroom cited an Ain't It Cool regular who claimed Lucasfilm got Knowles to yank the review — most likely by threatening to bar him from all future advance viewings."

The review, in its entirety, can be viewed online. What do you think? Should a film production company allow a movie critic an advance screening only on condition that they have the authority to censor his review if necessary?

Voice of "In a world where...."

2008-09-02T22:45:00.010-05:00

I read that Don LaFontaine, the famous voice of movie trailers, died on September 1st from "complications in the treatment of an ongoing illness."

The 68-year-old distinctive voiceover master was widely recognized for recording more than 5,000 movie trailers.

According to a Daily Herald interview last year, Don said:

"We have to very rapidly establish the world we are transporting [the viewers] to. That's very easily done by saying, 'In a world where ... violence rules.' 'In a world where ... men are slaves and women are the conquerors.' You very rapidly set the scene."

He was said to have not expected or desired fame. Known not for his face nor name, atypical of such a huge Hollywood persona, LaFontaine will go down in history for that historic voice we'll never forget.

You Tube video.

"Vantage Point" Offers No New Perspective

2008-08-10T11:00:00.002-05:00

Starring Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, and Forest Whitaker, "Vantage Point" falls a bit short of my expectations for this action drama, which initially seemed to present a creative concept. Instead, it makes me feel a little less confidant in the Secret Service men of our nation.

Quaid and Fox are two Secret Service agents assigned to protect the U.S. president (William Hurt) in Spain at an important international summit focused on the war on terror. Ironically, the president is shot, and the plot unfolds the different perspectives of both those involved, and simple bystanders, to weave a story that has the audience guessing how everything is connected.

It is a bit reminiscent of "Groundhog's Day" or "Memento" in that it relies on a series of flashbacks once the primary scene is established at the beginning. The audience connects with Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid), as he tries to identify the shooter.

Some character interactions seem a bit far-fetched and odd when you first see it, but eventually things tie back in together. Later, they seem a dead giveaway to the film's predictability. Although there is clearly a good vs. evil force at work here, some cases of outlandish public violence by the Secret Service (i.e. shooting at an escapee while in a crowded marketplace) make you question if this is really how such operations go down. In many instances, the Secret Service are inept at the very thing they are supposedly trained to do: guard and protect.

The car chase scenes, coupled with the explosions and gunfire (which is repeated over and over every 20 minutes or so when it switches to a different 'vantage point'), make this an exciting -- albeit somewhat exhausting -- film to watch. I would recommend renting this if you feel like watching an action movie with a bit of suspense. It's far from groundbreaking, but is decent if you're looking for a fairly short film that doesn't involve too much thinking.

"The Dark Knight" Brightens the Superhero Film Genre

2008-08-09T22:13:00.009-05:00

I think I may just be one of the last people to have seen "The Dark Knight." I'm not one to always go out on opening weekend, just because I usually like avoiding the crowds. I felt it was still appropriate to document my thoughts of the film here, though. After all, it has surpassed opening records, and is steadily on track for becoming the No. 1 movie of all time.

"Titanic" currently holds the record, which many say may be unbeatable despite potential monetary numbers rising above it, simply because of inflated movie ticket prices over the years. It will therefore be hard to judge the success of a movie merely by the box office totals. Total ticket numbers would be a more accurate gauge. As of Aug. 8, "The Dark Knight" stands at $423 million.

Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart are the leads in this superhero action film. The movie is aptly titled "The Dark Knight" because it reveals many sinister aspects of human (or perhaps non-human) behavior. There is a distinct plot, strong character development despite the fact that this is a sequel (I myself had forgotten much of "Batman Begins"), and never a boring moment.

The Joker, played of course by Heath Ledger, is very believable as a mysterious force that we can't help but feel compelled to watch with interest. Ledger himself certainly added a lot to this character, incorporating arm movements, mannerisms and this signature lick of the lips. If there hadn't been so much talk about Ledger playing this role, I certainly wouldn't have known it was him. He became so totally embodied in the persona that is the Joker, that it definitely marks his best performance to date. The fact that he never takes his makeup off while on-screen certainly adds to the air of believability.

"The Dark Knight" is more than just your typical superhero action film, of which I'm typically not a fan (i.e. "Spiderman," "The Incredible Hulk," "Fantastic Four," Daredevil"). The fact that this film appeals to such a wide age range is great. Many notoriously harsh film critics even felt satisfied with "The Dark Knight." I would definitely agree. It's a must-see, and a movie that you should try to see in the theatres while you still have the chance. This is the type of blockbuster that makes history and is best viewed on the large screen with surround sound.

Morgan Freeman in Accident

2008-08-06T12:43:00.008-05:00

Actor Morgan Freeman was recently involved in a car accident near his home in Mississippi. The car "flipped end-over-end before landing upright in a ditch," writes a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune in an Aug. 5 article.

Freeman had a broken arm, elbow and shoulder damage, according to newspaper reports, but now is recovering after surgery. Apparently Freeman has no idea what caused him to veer off the highway, and thinks he may have fallen asleep. There is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved.

Aside from this bit of news, I think Morgan Freeman is a great actor. I feel his most notable movies (of those I've seen) include: March of the Penguins, Million Dollar Baby, Se7en, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven, Lean on Me, and Driving Miss Daisy. He has, of course, most recently been in The Dark Knight, as well.

Thankfully he seems to be OK from this accident, and hopefully we'll see more great acting from him still yet to come.

Music in Movies: John Williams

2008-08-05T22:11:00.015-05:00

I'm sorry to have missed it, but on Aug. 1 the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed the Kunzel 30th Anniversary Celebration: John Williams Tribute, at Rivinia.

Some of the featured songs were:

Olympic Fanfare Theme from Jaws

“Bicycle Chase” from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Main Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Main Themes from Jurassic Park

“Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Main Theme from Superman

Main Theme from Schindler’s List

“The Raiders March” from Raiders of the Lost Ark
“Flag Parade” from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

“Anakin’s Theme” from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
“Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
“Across the Stars” from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
“Battle of the Heroes” from Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith

“Princess Leia’s Theme” from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

“The Imperial March” from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

“Yoda’s Theme” from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

“Parade of the Ewoks” from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Main Theme from Star Wars

John Williams has to be the most renowned film score composer of all time, as evidenced by his strong body of work indicated above. He has won five Academy Awards and four Golden Globes so far, and currently has the most Oscar nominations for any living person: 45. Most of these songs are true classics, and instantly recognizable. They bring flashbacks of the movie's specific scenes.

One of his most recent bodies of work has been for the fourth installment of Indiana Jones, where he made use of the new fretless electronic keyboard called the Continuum Fingerboard.

The instrument, designed by University of Illinois Electrical & Computer Engineering Lecturer Lippold Haken, is technically a MIDI controller where the device itself merely serves to activate the sensors located under the flat red neoprene playing surface. The Continuum responds to a player's finger placement and pressure in three dimensions.

The music examples featured in the film are played by Randy Kerber and composed by Williams. This instrument, with its wide range of pitch and tone, is certainly on the leading edge for what is yet to come with film scores.

So, do you have a favorite song written especially for a movie?

A boring time "In Bruges"

2008-07-29T12:37:00.006-05:00

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as two hitmen ordered by their crime boss, played by Ralph Fiennes, to escape to Bruges (which is in Belgium) after a job gone wrong.

Farrell, although at first convincing as a man who neither cares about anyone nor finds significance in his beautiful surroundings, transforms into someone overwrought by grief.

His overly expressive eyebrows, coupled with his quick speech and somewhat quirky mannerisms, define a character who obviously has something troubling him (don’t worry, I won’t ruin it). For a hitman, Farrell is rather oblivious though, trusting and inexperienced in too many ways; a fault that comes to haunt him later. His cohort (Gleeson) is much more adept, wise, and efficient in his practiced way of life, forming an almost protective fatherly shield over his younger accomplice.

Although there are a few pleasant witty one-liners (delivered mostly by Farrell), the acting is mediocre, the characters are only somewhat compelling at best, and the storyline a bit slow and difficult to really fathom. The match of Farrell and Gleeson was not an ideal choice, and the depth of their work relationship is never really explained. I did not find myself rooting for any character in particular.

"Wall-E" is a "must-see"

2008-07-28T23:03:00.005-05:00

I will say that I've been a bit behind in my writing recently. And there is so much to talk about! I'll begin with "Wall-E."

"Wall-E" is a computer animated science fiction film whose central plot focus surrounds the life of the last surviving solar-powered robot. His mission? Clean the garbage dump once called Earth. All humans have since fled to space, where they enjoy a life of laziness (and have correspondingly become quite overweight in their trance-like state of existence), while Wall-E compacts all of their waste into neat little cubes.

Wall-E's lonely and seemingly monotonous life, countered by his endearing habit of finding unique treasures amidst the trash heap, suddenly changes upon Eve's arrival. As a super-efficient, advanced robot model sent on a mysterious mission by the humans, Eve can fly and is well-equipped with the tools to overtake any enemy. Drastically paled by comparison, Wall-E first becomes scared by her power and destruction, though quickly falls in love.

This is a love story above all else. Although the first 30-40 minutes involve no speaking at all, you can't help but feel enthralled in Wall-E's daily tasks and his curiosity over the simplest of items. Its morals teach viewers about work ethic, love, and loyalty. The creators of this film have done a wonderful job of bringing an inanimate object to life, as Wall-E's character is masterfully created with the habitual nature, sentiments, and ticks of a true human being. I would definitely recommend this Pixar movie for all ages.

And the Academy Award for Best Actor goes to ...

2008-07-18T21:46:00.008-05:00

With all the buzz about The Dark Knight (which I really want to see) and Heath Ledger's amazing performance, it got me wondering if the Academy will possibly nominate Ledger for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor. How unfortunate if he won and wasn't able to celebrate.

To date, Peter Finch has been the only posthumous Best Actor winner for his role in 1976's Network. He died in January of 1977 at age 60. James Dean, Spencer Tracy, and Massimo Troisi are others who were posthumously nominated for best actor; Dean was nominated twice after he died.

There have been other well-known, and in many cases very talented actors & actresses, who have yet to even be nominated for their acting abilities. According to Moviefone, these are some of the Oscar outcasts:

John Cusack
Jim Carrey
Meg Ryan
Richard Gere
Sandra Bullock
Martin Sheen
Steve Martin
Kevin Bacon
Maria Bello
Jeff Daniels
Bruce Willis
Scarlett Johansson
Matthew Broderick
Jeffery Wright
Donald Sutherland
Ewan McGregor
Isabella Rosselinni (Ingrid Bergman's daughter)
Dennis Quaid
Steve Buscemi
Maggie Gyllenhaal

Most of these people honestly don't surprise me that much. They're mostly known for a certain movie genre, and don't have any real scope in their acting abilities. Most of them on this list, not all.

What I've always wondered is why Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale and Johnny Depp have yet to win Best Actor Academy Awards. They are all fantastic, and have been in some great movies.

New TMNT Movie in the Works

2008-07-16T20:48:00.005-05:00

Apparently a new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is being made for release in 2010. I never saw the new "TMNT" that came out in 2007, but I don't think anything could start to compare to how I felt about the original movies in the 1990s. I remember them as simply awesome. Although my taste in movies has certainly changed since then, if I watched them today, I'm confident I'd still find Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and of course Master Splinter, entertaining.

I remember my brother had a TMNT action figure that would literally do a backflip when you pressed down on its shoulders, and released. It was quite the sad day when my mom made him sell all of those toys, saying he was too old for them, at a garage sale. He was not a happy camper. Shellalicious? Do they even still say that?

Poll: Reading Book is Better Before Watching Movie

2008-07-14T22:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all who voted in my mini poll: What's better first? Reading the book, or watching the movie? I'm confirming that the clear pick was that reading the book before watching the movie is best. I agree. Hopefully I'll be inspired to create another poll coming up shortly. On a side note, I won a lot of 28 books online today for an amazing price of just $18 (many of them hardcover in perfect condition). I already know some of them have been turned into movies, which I haven't seen. Of course, I'll write my film reviews here after I'm done with the books!

I'd be interested in hearing feedback about any of my posts, though, so please feel free to comment. My goal is to ultimately get people thinking on a deeper level about movies, as after I took my film class, I could never look at anything on screen the same again. I would constantly be analyzing why the director chose this music, why the camera panned to that specific image. I found the use of certain props, positioning of characters on-screen, and color choice, all of notable importance. I saw things at more than just face value. At first I found it annoying in that I believed I couldn't truly just enjoy a movie anymore without over-analyzing it. In time, I came to realize that this aspect in fact not only made me enjoy it more, but better appreciate everyone involved in its creation.

BEHIND THE MOVIE: Nazi Films & "Conspiracy"

2008-07-13T10:06:00.009-05:00

I first came to know of "Conspiracy" after my film class viewed "Apt Pupil," a well-done story about a young boy who discovers an old man (and former Nazi) living in his neighborhood, befriends him, and begins to learn of his dark past. It is well worth renting. My task for the class, however: compare "Apt Pupil" to another film featuring Nazis.

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One of the worst crimes committed against humanity occurs in a little over an hour
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The Nazi party of Germany will forever live within the pages of history. They changed the way Jews were viewed around the world and likewise started a period of undeniable hate that perpetuated throughout the country. In the 2001 “Conspiracy,” Reinhard Heydrich (Kenneth Branagh) and Adolf Eichmann (Stanley Tucci) meet in a remote mansion to host a secret meeting to discuss extinguishing the Jewish population in Germany and surrounding European countries.

The film evolves around the panel discussion of leaders of the Nazi party: doctors, lawyers, the State secretary, and German national leaders. As the tagline of the movie states, the story of one of the worst crimes committed against humanity occurs in a little over an hour.

As the screenplay is based from Undersecretary Martin Luther’s meeting notes, the only known surviving documentation from the real-life conference, the film weaves the story of how the mass murder originated. The decisions, fears, statistics, and politics of the German nation were discussed by these powerful men who sat at a large, oval table to vote for what would soon become one of the most chilling accounts of race relations, discrimination, and euthanasia.

Heydrich, the leader of the meeting, sets out to seemingly gain feedback on his murder methodology. Contrarily, through his excessive knowledge on the subject and authorized power given to him by Adolf Hitler, he appears to dominate the discussion and influence other men’s consent toward the plan.

The Nazi representation depicts the evolution of everyday, normal men enjoying the pleasures of a good meal and nice discussion, to a meeting filled with hate and void of compassion. Viewers are encouraged to relate with the Nazi party at some level out of recognition of similar human characteristics of love and hate, and of humor and seriousness. This connection, merely emphasized through camera angles and cinematic techniques, build in a more profound understanding that these qualities go beyond typical human relationships.

The stereotypical evil nature of the Nazi party is temporarily undermined when viewers listen to how these men deliberate in what is apparently a logical and courteous discussion. As the dialogue intensifies, the beginning of unspeakable atrocities against fellow humans likewise formulate from the words uttered in the formal dining room. Normal men are turned into monsters within a mere hour of discussion.

Foremost, the film treats the men as innately human, and the party a mere celebration of friends. Despite the formal introductions with the “heil Hitler” salutations, the men mingle, drink, and enjoy appetizers while waiting for the rest of their guests to arrive: much like longtime friends simply enjoying each other’s company.

The military-precision stereotype of Nazis is likewise promoted with Eichmann’s statistics and paperwork that helps back up his rationale to murder the entire Jewish population. This excessive order breaks, however, with Heydrich’s late arrival. Some of the men gossip among themselves how Heydrich will make his always fashionably late appearance. This provides the audience with a somewhat contradictory notion to how the Nazis are prompt, orderly and carry out tasks with extreme precision and planning.

While viewers do not know whether Heydrich’s late appearance is a result of his need for recognition to demonstrate his power, or a simple tendency to be late, his inadequacy at arriving on time is emphasized. It is this inadequacy that humanizes Heydrich despite his authoritative aura.

Heydrich, a man who apparently interacts with others in a joking, laid-back manner at the beginning, transforms into a man whose goals and mission of the meeting override his humorous side. He puts up with the other men occasionally interrupting him by displaying a slight smile of tolerance and a simple remark that he is “not finished,” but soon becomes intensely serious.

Heydrich refuses to accept other opinions concerning the plan, although he pretends to want their feedback. At one point in the story, Kritzinger gets up to talk with him during a break, and Heydrich makes sure that Kritzinger will offer his support toward Heydrich’s proposal. “I will not oppose you,” Kritzinger says, however it is clear that Kritzinger does not feel the plan is foolproof. Likewise, Dr. Wilhelm Stuckart (Colin Firth) believes that Heydrich is not considering the political and legal implications of the Jewish extermination. Despite his strong appeals, and one passionate scene of debate for his viewpoint, when it comes to vote time, Stuckart, like Kritzinger, simply sarcastically articulates his utmost enthusiasm for Heydrich’s proposed arrangement.

It happens that while the final vote for the plan is taking place that the camera angles are extreme close-ups of each man attending the meeting. Not only does each man have an extreme close-up in the frame, but he also directly addresses the audience. In this instance, it is suggested that the audience share the viewpoint of Heydrich — the man to whom the rest are reporting. By creating a viewer identification with this Nazi in terms of his social standing and authoritative power, the audience is likewise placed in the dilemma of reflecting on how they would personally respond in such the situation.

The extreme close-up camera angles are in direct contrast with the beginning of the film when the men go around the table and introduce themselves. The audience first meets them with a medium close-up shot while they announce their name and title. Although their titles and seriousness can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming, the film proposes these are men with real names, real positions in society, and are of meaningful importance. The contrasting extreme close-up shots during the final vote likewise indicates a changing audience perspective.

The spectators, rather than merely observers sitting in on this private meeting, now have become immersed in understanding these men and their ways of thinking on a deeper level. Viewers literally have come to achieve a closer examination of these men. Their concerns, objectives, logic, fears, and justification literally and figuratively come full circle. In a matter of an hour, seemingly normal government officials conclude that millions of Jews must be exterminated in gruesome gas chambers. Despite desperate attempts by some men — which ultimately proves futile — to alter the direction of the decision, the horror lies with the unanimous decision.

Perhaps one culminating scene revealed the true archetype of the Nazi figure. When Kritzinger becomes frustrated at his inability to be heard, he abruptly rises from the table — thus insinuating a physical and psychological power over his sitting comrades. It is when he walks through the double doors, slowly turns around, and become framed within the doorway, however, that defines the Nazi power over an individual’s own independence. Kritzinger’s body — through interior framing — and mind, are both entrapped within the Nazi ideal. He finally walks back to the table and reluctantly submitting to the Nazi beliefs, acknowledges their control over his own choices.

This realization comes at a dear price as not only do Kritzinger, but viewers are also encouraged, to understand that even if a prominent lawyer and doctor has no input in Nazi decision making, then neither does the public.

The idea of Nazi dominance may also extend to another scene where one man, after learning the horrors about to sweep his nation, becomes physically ill. Later, he blames his sickness on his cigar — which may stylistically function as a masculine, phallic symbol. Heydrich declares that due to this man’s queasiness over cigar smoke, that no one shall smoke any more cigars in his presence. He symbolically thus deprives them of their masculinity and power.

Ultimately, the first scenes of the film establish dialogue, characters, and situations that may gain viewer empathy. As every minute passes, however, the Nazi stereotype of leadership, power, and eroticism becomes eroded into that of insensitive, gruesome, immoral men who strive for domination rather than collaboration, and a fast solution to what they deem a growing problem.

Even moral men at times become entwined in a web of power, manipulation and deception. The individual ideal becomes the collective Nazi ideal. It raises the question, were Nazi leaders perhaps victims themselves? They were neither stripped of their clothes, their hair was not cut off and used for fabric, nor were their naked bodies deceptively led to a shower where they would face their death. They were not stripped of their dignity during the height of the Nazi regime. Yet "Conspiracy" insinuates how some of these men were stripped of something some people assume can never be taken from them. Almost brainwashed, they were stripped of their conscience.

Chicago Outdoor Film Festival

2008-07-11T22:54:00.010-05:00

The schedule for the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival at Butler Field, Grant Park, 100 S. Lake Shore Drive from July 15-Aug. 26 is:

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July 15: "All About Eve"; 8:57 p.m. -- Richard Roeper opening
July 22: "The Odd Couple"; 8:51 p.m. -- College night

July 29: "The Blues Brothers"; 8:44 p.m.

Aug. 5: "The Day the Earth Stood Still"; 8:35 p.m.

Aug. 12: "Touch of Evil"; 8:25 p.m. -- Director's cut

Aug. 19: "An Affair to Remember"; 8:15 p.m.

Aug. 26: "Grease"; 8:03 p.m.

I'm excited for this to start. I've always wanted to go to one of these outdoor film festivals in Chicago, which has been showing movies since 2000, but have never had the chance. Best part - it's FREE, and happens every Tuesday for seven weeks.

For this year's classic movie picks, I've seen "All About Eve," "The Blues Brothers," "An Affair to Remember," and "Grease." I'd say all of them were good, and worth watching. "All About Eve" is a best picture winner, and boasts a famous movie line: "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." This was actually voted as the #9 movie quote by the American Film Institute. I got around to watching "An Affair to Remember" after obsessively watching "Sleepless in Seattle" a few years back. "Sleepless in Seattle" has a scene where actress Rita Wilson dramatically relates how "An Affair to Remember" is such a moving story, much to actor Tom Hank's chagrin as he watches tears stream down her face. Every time I watched Rita's performance, I remembered thinking I wanted to see that movie. I finally did.

Lastly, "The Blues Brothers" and "Grease" are simply classics that I think every person of my generation has to have seen. Looks like a good line-up this year. I especially want to to see "The Odd Couple," as I have heard about it repeatedly. Richard Roeper will introduce the first screening ("All About Eve") to open the Film Festival, beginning at 8:15 p.m.

BEHIND THE MOVIE: Hitchcock & "Vertigo"

2008-07-10T21:34:00.007-05:00

I took a film class a few years ago, and we analyzed several movies over the course of the semester. I hope to post some of my (edited, so I won't spoil the story too much) thoughts in this space, via a series of BEHIND THE MOVIE posts that are more than a review; it will discuss the hidden meanings and message 'behind' the movies, and why the director may have done the things he did. First up? I felt "Vertigo" was appropriate because I have mentioned the movie several times on this blog already.

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You shouldn't keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn't have been that sentimental.
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Alfred Hitchcock films often present themes dealing with the relationship among the villain, hero, and audience. In his 1958 psychological crime thriller, "Vertigo," these issues not only arise, but dominate the script. Former detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) becomes recruited by Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to investigate his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), whom he thinks may be possessed by a spirit seeking revenge from the dead. The plot focuses on Scottie’s growing relationship with Madeleine, as he secretly follows her around San Francisco and discovers her mimicking the identity and actions of her great-grandmother, Carlotta Valdes. Madeleine soon learns to love the man who follows her, and Scottie reciprocates the feelings.

Although the psychological crime thriller is a common Hitchcock genre, "Vertigo" stands apart from his previous works with the construction of the hero versus the villain. Similar to what the name insinuates, "Vertigo" creates a dizzying, disoriented state of mind that blurs the role of the villain and hero until the final scene. Hitchcock persuades the audience to think they can classify hero from villain, when early on he devises a central character whose appearance, position within the composition, and actions are simply a framework to point the audience in the wrong direction. One of the first images the audience encounters is Scottie’s character helping an old friend, Gavin Elster, despite his pledge of retirement following a horrifying experience which left him suffering from acrophobia.

Quickly, this establishes Scottie as the primary hero of the film. He sets out to help Elster, and distinguishes himself as the protagonist attempting to aid in Madeleine’s mental recovery. Similarly, the ostensible villain is suggested through Hitchcock’s early intrinsic use of Madeleine’s figure as the dominant image within each composition. The audience comes to know Madeleine’s character simply through other people’s words, primarily Gavin, and her own actions, assumed to be seized by Carlotta.

Madeleine is being developed in such a way that the audience feels her humanity, yet is uncertain about the forces that control her. This Hitchcock guise for developing such a villain is not uncommon. What is unusual, however, is how he devises Madeleine into something which she is not: the villain. In many of Hitchcock’s other films, the villain has a clear role from beginning to end. The continuous reversal of hero and villain only serves to propagate the sense of confusion in this thriller, and ultimately shock the audience with its ending.

As the aforementioned stated, in many of his works Hitchcock constructs the villain so they possess qualities the audience may relate to, which evokes a sense of sympathy toward the very character who the viewer is traditionally taught to despise. He uses this construction to turn the initial distaste for the character into compassion, yet in "Vertigo," Hitchcock employs this technique to fool the audience into believing in the wrong villain.

In "Psycho," the audience has a certain compassion first for Marion Crane’s (Janet Leigh) criminal behavior, and then for villain Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a known murderer. As Francois Truffaut said during an interview with Hitchcock, “the villains are human and even vulnerable. They’re frightening and yet we sense that they, too, are afraid.” It is rare to hear Norman’s opinion, and his isolation in the deserted Bates Motel sustains the belief his dreams are withheld by a domineering mother -- although he does not admit it directly.

Likewise, in Hitchcock’s 1946 "Notorious," Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains) serves as the villain whose marriage with Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) ultimately hinders his own ambition as a Nazi. Alicia, a woman working for an American intelligence agency, helps to undermine Alex’s covert operations by obtaining valuable information. It could be considered that his emotions are also limited because he cannot receive full emotional reciprocation from Alicia, as she truly loves T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant).

"Vertigo’s" Madeleine is established as the villain, though not as directly as some other Hitchcock films. She does not steal money, nor is guilty of murder. With her fixation on, and apparent physical embodiment of Carlotta Valdes, Madeleine exudes an evil flair best demonstrated through stylistic clothing techniques and lighting changes. For example, her ugly, hallmark gray suit becomes a symbol of negativity when worn by a normally pretty blonde woman. Hitchcock’s lighting techniques work in a related manner. At the bookstore, when Scottie listens to the story of Madeleine’s great-grandmother, the scene diminishes into a darkness emphasized by high-contrast lighting. Such dark lighting immediately recedes once Scottie leaves the store. This technique could be taken as a foreboding clue to the evil nature of this great-grandmother. Once again, the villain is construed as a helpless victim whose own life excites a benevolent audience attitude. Madeleine apparently cannot function as a normal human would because an outside force prevents her from doing so.

The extreme long shot of Madeleine visiting the museum and cemetery allow the audience, and Scottie, to be kept at a safe distance from her. The sense of seeing Madeleine only from a distance gives her an air of mystery, intrigue, and a certain helplessness. She seems like a rather normal person visiting such places, but the cinematography and arrangement of her figure’s stiff, trance-like pose suggests otherwise. The audience knows they must focus on her as the object of attention among the mise-en-scène. Hence, when Madeleine earns the long, medium, or extreme closeup shot further into the film, this is significant.

The director does, however, still place the audience in the situation of possibly emphasizing with Scottie’s fear of heights through the cinematic technique of forward zoom and reverse tracking shot, a very innovative skill for the 1950s. As Scottie climbs the stairs of the bell tower during the last minutes of the film, his acrophobia hits an ultimate high. His point-of-view shot allows viewers to once again identify with his emotions and views of the situation at hand. In truth, this point-of-view reconnects the idea of Scottie as the hero simply through reestablishing his “innocence” in such a way. The spiral, dizzying affect of the stairs manipulates viewer perception that all facts are known. As the culminating act of the scene, Hitchcock finally reveals the flawed logic of the audience: that the villain is not always who they appear.

He insinuates that viewers should ponder the villain’s role along a narrative that focuses on the hero and the MacGuffin of Madeleine’s mental instability. As Truffaut explains, Hitchcock films often “center on an interchangeable killing, with one character who has committed the crime and another who might just as well have been guilty of it.” The fluctuating status of the villain simply puts the “psychological crime” in this thriller, leaving audience expectations radically hoodwinked.

Sorta Based on a True Story

2008-07-09T22:35:00.006-05:00

I was looking at Cracked.com today for the first time, and discovered some of their posts interesting. One I found particularly appropriate to post here: "7 Movies Based on a True Story (That are Complete Bullshit)" by Jeff Kelly. The top picks?

#7 - The Pursuit of Happyness
#6 - 21
#5 - Lean on Me
#4 - Rudy
#3 - Victory (AKA Escape to Victory)
#2 - Good Morning, Vietnam
#1 - The Hurricane

These movies really were based on true stories, but Hollywood gave them a certain fictional twist to ensure their appeal to the masses. As if they are saying moviegoers aren't smart, strong enough, or even willing to watch a 'real-life' story from beginning to end, Hollywood has to implement changes that almost sensationalize any film today that comes remotely close to 'the harsh truth.'

Of course the common person is only looking to have a good time with a film, but who is to say that real-life events taken strictly from facts can't be enjoyed by the American public? I'm probably a bit biased with my journalism education, and I suppose strict fact in movies would fall into the 'documentary' genre in any case. Nonetheless, I do find it a bit misleading if movies claim to be 'Based on a True Story,' when, in truth, they mean 'Sorta Based on a True story.'

Movie Review in Brief:
The only movies I have actually seen on this list are "21" and "Rudy." I actually watched "21" at my first ever drive-in movie, and it did not live up to my expectations. Perhaps the fact that it was raining at the time didn't help either. Before I saw the film, I found the story compelling since I knew it was 'based on true story' of a young man who cashed in on a card-counting stint in Vegas. Ultimately, I thought they could have done so much more with the film. It was mediocre at best, and maybe best summarized with Kevin Spacey's disappointing performance. At least two people who were with me at the time, actually fell asleep.

"Keira Knightley is no Audrey Hepburn and this is a terrible idea"

2008-07-07T22:50:00.004-05:00

Keira Knightley is no Audrey Hepburn and this is a terrible idea. I couldn't agree more. Apparently Knightley will star as Eliza Doolittle in the upcoming remake of the 1912 "My Fair Lady."

First, "My Fair Lady" does not need to be remade. Why ruin an already good thing? Don't get me started on the current Hollywood trend of remaking classic movies. Second, the only movie in which I did not find Keira overly annoying was as Elizabeth Bennett in "Pride & Prejudice." Maybe it's because I loved the classic story and was trying to ignore her lackluster acting abilities.

Has there ever been a remake better than an original film? I say that's hard to come by. I can't seem to think of anything offhand, although I did hear that the recent "The Hulk" is better than Ang Lee's version a few years ago.

"The Birds" Barbie

2008-07-06T11:20:00.008-05:00

I saw this on a Twitter feed this weekend: The Birds Barbie.

I'm not sure if this is a joke or not. As part of the description:

"Real fake birds." Are they kidding? Sounds like a bit of an oxymoron to me.

"High-quality head looks scared and has awesome hair!" How do you make a head look scared? Maybe they meant to say she has a terrified expression on her face? No. No, that would still be untrue. She looks like she's only slightly disturbed.

Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorite directors, and there is only one movie of his I've seen to date, that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed: The Skin Game. His The Birds is certainly a classic, and making a Barbie doll that I consider to be a mocking image of his film, is just ridiculous. What's next, Mattel? Fashioning a bloody figurine of Psycho's Marion Crane with "awesome real fake stab wounds?"

Maybe not a Definite Flop

2008-07-05T23:29:00.004-05:00

So, here goes. My first "movie review." I rented the movie, "Definitely, Maybe" starring Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin. Although I think romantic comedies generally offer a predictable template of a plot, characters, and final dramatic ending (albeit amusing and fun to watch sometimes), I found this one to be slightly different.

Abigail Breslin stars as Maya Hayes, a little girl who wants her soon-to-be-divorced dad to tell her about the women of his past. So, we follow Will on a journey through his love life, a task he reluctantly undertakes to please his overly curious daughter. The catch, however, is that he changes the names of the women so Maya must try to guess which one is her mom. Kind of a cute game I guess.

I will say that the movie is a bit slow, but is carried along by the humorous naivety in contrast to some shockingly insightful remarks by Maya. She is one gifted child actress, first truly "discovered" in her claim to fame, "Little Miss Sunshine."

I know I'm not going into great detail here, so that must be proof in itself to how the movie didn't really inspire me. It was a cute story. It didn't have an ending quite as I predicted, so I give it that much. Despite this, I found the end to be fairly unconventional and would not closely resemble the feelings of a true young girl going through the traumatic experience of her parents' divorce. That being said, I didn't think this movie was bad, didn't think it was great. Maybe I'll stand in the middle ground and go with a "definitely decent."

Books Making it to the Silver Screen

2008-07-04T12:48:00.007-05:00

I finally finished my monster of a book, The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. It was amazing. Written from the perspective of Queen Cleopatra herself, I really started to believe I was living and ruling in Egypt along with her. Although it was long and had a bit of a slow start, I feel like this would make a really good movie. It got me thinking, how many books have truly successfully made it to the silver screen?

Another book I read awhile ago, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, was likewise memorable as one man's experiences growing up in Ireland. It was later turned into a movie, which was decent considering the screenwriter and director had to interpret McCourt's own memoirs. I liked the book better.

Memoirs of a Geisha served as a book that led the reader into the world of concubines and geishas of Japan. I read the novel, and saw the movie. The film actually went on to win three Oscars. I wouldn't say it was bad, but the book was better in comparison.

Gone With the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. The 3+ hour movie that won Best Picture in 1939 was not disappointing, but I liked the book better. So how can directors live up to the legacy of books such as these? Is it possible to make a movie that is better than the original novel version? From my perspective, that has never been done, but there are a few movies that come close.

In high school, we got out of my English class to see the first Lord of the Rings in the theatre simply because my teacher was a die-hard fan of the story. I was one of three in my class of around 25 students who had actually read the books as well, so we were appointed the head of small discussion groups. We had a conversation regarding the differences between the book and the movie. I ultimately feel Lord of the Rings is one of the best film adaptations of a book I have ever viewed. The length of the film, the special effects, and acting all serve as a testament to making the characters and world come alive on screen, just as it does in a reader's mind.

To Kill a Mockingbird, AFI's winner of "Top courtroom drama" that stars Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, is likewise one of those movies I feel closely mimics the sentiments and character development experienced by someone who reads the novel.

When it comes down to it, books provide more insight into characters that is hard to accurately replicate in a two-hour movie. I heard rumors that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will star in the upcoming Atlas Shrugged, the famed objectivism novel by Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged may just be one of my favorite books, so I have high expectations. The somewhat cliche use of Brangelina as the respective lead actress and lead actor is already a bit off-putting though.

By the Numbers

2008-07-04T12:09:00.005-05:00

I recently watched the American Film Institute's (AFI) "10 Top 10," as they revealed their top movie picks from across 10 genres: animation, romantic comedy, western, sports, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, gangster, courtroom drama and epic.

I found two categories to be obviously absent from this list: comedy and horror. I think these two genres rarely produce good movies, however, so I can't blame AFI. I don't even know what I myself would choose as my top picks for comedy and horror. I did find Big Daddy, There's Something About Mary, Meet the Parents, and Tommy Boy to all be humorous, but far from what I would call a "favorite." The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Omen, The Sixth Sense, Halloween, and The Orphanage are creepy movies that definitely make my top list for horrors (which I find myself loving although I tend to dislike most of them - i.e. The Ring, The Ring 2, The Grudge, Scream, See No Evil etc.)

AFI's top picks, however, were: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, City Lights, The Searchers, Raging Bull, Vertigo, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Lawrence of Arabia, respectively. I've seen six of them. Only two received Academy Awards for Best Picture. I've never heard of two. One has my distant relative playing Atticus Finch. Guess I'll have to add four of them to my movie list of "to see" films!

Leave the gun, take the cannoli

2008-06-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

Leave the gun, take the cannoli. It is the well-known catch phrase from one of the best movies of all time. It also mimics what my own feelings would be when faced with the decision between a cold, hard weapon, or a delicious Italian dessert.

In a nutshell, I am a lover of movies, and a lover of food. While I do watch the Food Network a bit too obsessively, I find my passion for movies far exceeds anything else. I therefore hope to dedicate this blog primarily to cinema, although I'll also write on an occasional topic that interests me. I do not hope to become the next Roger Ebert by any means (although I can likewise call the University of Illinois my Alma Mater), but would like to simply give you my opinion of various movies I see. I will say, however, I'm one of the harshest critics I know. It takes a lot for a movie to really impress me.

A little more than a year ago, I began a quest to watch what in my mind were the No. 1 movies of all time: the Academy Award Best Picture winners. Here is the comprehensive list, along with the ones I have already seen (****loved, would recommend). Those in red I have yet to watch. As evidenced, my idea of a No. 1 movie list has changed a bit. I did not like all of these movies so far, and found some quite boring. I hope to eventually create my own "Best Picture" list. For now, I have 19 left here to conquer!

1928 (1st) Wings, Sunrise
1929 (2nd) Broadway Melody, The
1930 (3rd) All Quiet on the Western Front
1931 (4th) Cimarron
1932 (5th) Grand Hotel
1933 (6th) Cavalcade
1934 (7th) It Happened One Night****
1935 (8th) Mutiny on the Bounty
1936 (9th) Great Ziegfeld, The
1937 (10th) Life of Émile Zola, The
1938 (11th) You Can't Take It With You
1939 (12th) Gone with the Wind*****
1940 (13th) Rebecca*****
1941 (14th) How Green Was My Valley
1942 (15th) Mrs. Miniver
1943 (16th) Casablanca
1944 (17th) Going My Way
1945 (18th) The Lost Weekend
1946 (19th) The Best Years of Our Lives
1947 (20th) Gentleman's Agreement*****
1948 (21st) Hamlet (1948)
1949 (22nd) All the King's Men
1950 (23rd) All About Eve*****
1951 (24th) An American in Paris
1952 (25th) The Greatest Show on Earth*****
1953 (26th) From Here to Eternity
1954 (27th) On the Waterfront
1955 (28th) Marty
1956 (29th) Around the World in 80 Days
1957 (30th) The Bridge on the River Kwai
1958 (31st) Gigi
1959 (32nd) Ben-Hur
1960 (33rd) The Apartment*****
1961 (34th) West Side Story
1962 (35th) Lawrence of Arabia
1963 (36th) Tom Jones
1964 (37th) My Fair Lady*****
1965 (38th) The Sound of Music*****
1966 (39th) A Man for All Seasons
1967 (40th) In the Heat of the Night
1968 (41st) Oliver!
1969 (42nd) Midnight Cowboy
1970 (43rd) Patton
1971 (44th) The French Connection
1972 (45th) The Godfather*****
1973 (46th) The Sting*****
1974 (47th) The Godfather Part II*****
1975 (48th) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*****
1976 (49th) Rocky
1977 (50th) Annie Hall
1978 (51st) The Deer Hunter
1979 (52nd) Kramer vs. Kramer*****
1980 (53rd) Ordinary People*****
1981 (54th) Chariots of Fire
1982 (55th) Gandhi
1983 (56th) Terms of Endearment
1984 (57th) Amadeus
1985 (58th) Out of Africa
1986 (59th) Platoon*****
1987 (60th) The Last Emperor
1988 (61st) Rain Man*****
1989 (62nd) Driving Miss Daisy*****
1990 (63rd) Dances With Wolves*****
1991 (64th) The Silence of the Lambs*****
1992 (65th) Unforgiven
1993 (66th) Schindler's List*****
1994 (67th) Forrest Gump*****
1995 (68th) Braveheart*****
1996 (69th) The English Patient
1997 (70th) Titanic (1997)*****
1998 (71st) Shakespeare in Love*****
1999 (72nd) American Beauty
2000 (73rd) Gladiator*****
2001 (74th) A Beautiful Mind*****
2002 (75th) Chicago*****
2003 (76th) The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King
2004 (77th) Million Dollar Baby*****
2005 (78th) Crash
2006 (79th) The Departed *****
2007 (80th) No Country for Old Men