First

A story, and then a couple of quick thoughts on what I think is the finest film of the year, and one of the best films of this new century.

The story goes: I went to see Carol on my own. Took BART to MacArthur and then walked to Piedmont. (Went to three different bookstores, by the way, bought a cool old pocket paperback of The Crying of Lot 49, Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette biography, and Kingsley Amis' Girl, 20.) When I stepped in to the theater, it was a matinee on a Saturday, I realized that of the two dozen folks there, I was the only dude. There was a dyke couple at the back who had obviously seen the film before, as they laughed at inappropriate times. It was as if they already had inside jokes about the film amongst themselves. There was scattered applause at the end of Carol.

I did not applaud. I leaned forward in my seat, shook my head, and said aloud, "Wow."

That last shot.

But it is more than that. Every element, from the score, to the art direction, to the cinematography, to the acting, to the script, etc, ... is absolutely perfect.

One of my favorite parts of the film is the way the script and direction fetishize some of Carol's clothes and belongings, making them sensual exotic magical tokens to a world that Rooney Mara's character, Therese, is desperate to explore.

And that last shot.

Mwah, ...

The Academy almost always messes this stuff up.

Note:  Over the coming weeks I will be writing about the Oscars, giving you my personal, sometimes very idiosyncratic, picks on who or what should win (whether they were nominated or not), and then give you my opinion on who is likely to win from the nominees.  Today I am going to talk about Woody Allen, Cate Blanchett, and the Academy Awards, in general.

Take for instance that William Randolph Hearst and his media empire intimidated Hollywood and the Academy enough that Citizen Kane was nearly 'deleted' and/or destroyed before it was released, and that every single time one of the many nominations for Citizen Kane came  up, it was roundly booed at the Academy Awards.  Citizen Kane won only one award, for best screenplay, and that was really for Herman J Mankewicz, a recognition for all his significant contributions to building the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Or, let us talk about the Academy giving Elia Kazan a lifetime achievement award.

I would not be the least surprised to hear boos when Woody Allen's name is called at the Academy Awards next month.  Academy members are allowed to express their opinions, certainly.  Allen, himself, will not be there.  He never attends award ceremonies.  But, I am curious to see if Academy members will  boo Cate Blanchett or Sally Hawkins.  I would hope not, but like I said, the Academy almost always makes the wrong choice, or does the wrong thing when it comes to controversial issues like this.

And, I think we can pretty much forget any chance of Ms Blanchett winning Best Actress this year.  (I really do not believe Ms Hawkins had any shot at winning in her category, Best Supporting Actress.) Which is a real shame.  Ms Blanchett's performance in Blue Jasmine is certainly deserving, and is the type of performance the Academy generally adores.  But her association with Allen will likely prohibit her from taking home the Oscar.

Instead, I think, this year's Best Actress Award will go to Amy Adams.  (Much to my Wife's chagrin, who believes Ms Adams should win the Academy Award for Most Acting While Not Wearing a Bra.  When will that category be created?)

Yet, if I were King Academy Award, I would give the Best Actress Award to Barbara Sukowa for her mesmerizing, slinky, and seductive performance as Hannah Arendt.

Still, King Academy Award and the Academy could very well be agreeing with each other regarding the Best Supporting Actress category.  As elated as I am that Ms Hawkins (one of my absolute favorite movie stars right now) received her second nomination -- she should have won Best Actress for Happy-Go-Lucky! -- I think that Jennifer Lawrence and Mickey Sumner (as Sophie in Frances Ha) should share this award.  Ms Lawrence in American Hustle reminded me so much of say, Judy Holliday's sterling performance in Adam's Rib.  Or Jean Hagan's performances in Singin' in the Rain and Adam's Rib.  Or Ruth Hussey in The Philadelphia Story, etc, ... Meanwhile, Ms Sumner gave one of the richest and most complex performances I have seen this past year; an exquisite study of female friendship.

As for Best Original Screenplay, notwithstanding the controversy, Mr Allen is deserving of the nomination, but will not win.  I imagine it will go to either Bob Nelson for Nebraska or Eric Warren Singer and David O Russell for American Hustle.

If I were King Academy Award, however, I would give the prize to Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha.  Seriously, for just this passage alone:

Frances: It's that thing when you're with someone, and you love them and they know it, and they love you and you know it... but it's a party... and you're both talking to other people, and you're laughing and shining... and you look across the room and catch each other's eyes... but - but not because you're possessive, or it's precisely sexual... but because... that is your person in this life. And it's funny and sad, but only because this life will end, and it's this secret world that exists right there in public, unnoticed, that no one else knows about. It's sort of like how they say that other dimensions exist all around us, but we don't have the ability to perceive them. That's - That's what I want out of a relationship. Or just life, I guess.

All my love,
xxxoooxxx

Sweating in Chanel

As for the Wife and I's latest journey in to Woody Allen's world of Windsor EF Light Condensed, it was the finest time we had had our passport stamped there for a while.  It is certainly his best film in years, if perhaps not quite the masterpiece that some critics have proclaimed it to be.

There was some lazy editing, and some lazy directing.  Particularly lazy directing with some of the scenes of Sally Hawkins' children.  Also, there were some off notes with some of the jokes, which seemed out of place in this style of film.

Still, great performances abound, and Woody has created a fantastic profound story centered around Cate Blanchett's stunning performance.  As others have suggested, Woody has created his own personal Blanche DuBois.  Ms Blanchett, in fact, does so well, you can practically smell the unseemly sour blend of sweat and Chanel No. 5 pouring from underneath her arms in practically every scene.  You believe the reason for every single lie she tells, and why she feels compelled to share her sob story with every person she meets.  Ms Blanchett and Allen also make it perfectly believable why Blanchett's character is shocked and hurt each time someone catches her in a lie, or expresses anger at her and her ex-husband, played by Alec Baldwin, and the way they wrecked their lives.

The great power, and most profound thing about this film, is that you will not see that crazy person, mumbling to themselves in the street, quite the same ever again.  Every one has a story.

As for one of my favorite actresses working today, Ms Hawkins, she is wonderful, too.  Her American accent is serviceable if not perfect yet -- and will only improve -- and her performance, yet again, of a working class 'free soul' bohemian type is spot on.  Her wild, and from the hip, decisions in romance and money, are expertly integrated and believable.  If Ms Hawkins is not in a period piece, it seems she always will be cast and dressed in this same quirky manner.  I am still a sucker for it.  Methinks the Wife is getting a little tired of it.

I would also urge all fans of fashion and costuming to pay particular attention to Ms Banchett's costumes.  She wears and accessorizes strictly top French Old House Classic designers such as Chanel, and is an absolute knockout in every outfit she wears.  These costumes really nailed home the notion to me just what 'smart' means in terms of clothes and fashion.  And, the fact, that they had her sweat through all these impeccable garments as her character starts to go around the bend, is perhaps oddly, one of the greatest and most moving series of illuminating character statements I will take from this film.

Much of the film was shot in The Mission in the City, which is nice to see.  And, it was nice to see Ms Hawkins drink a Lagunitas IPA.  (Jadot wine is all over the film, and Stoli vodka, too. Jadot is in so many films right now.  They are doing a masterful job of product placement.  My most sincere apologies, but, being in the industry, I can not help but notice wine product placements in film.  It drives the Wife crazy!)

In terms of the horse race, Blue Jasmine will certainly be nominated for Best Picture, and Ms Blanchett has a very good shot at duplicating Ms Leigh's feat as Blanche DuBois, and winning an Oscar for Best Actress.  I would like to see Ms Hawkins get nominated in the Supporting category, but I feel that would be a long shot.

Sincerely highly recommended by the Wife and I, a real return to form for Woody, is Blue Jasmine.











Ciao,
xxxoooxxx

Ah, Windsor EF Light Condensed typeface, so comforting.