Nov 29, 2009
Is Fox a Real News Operation?
Is Fox a Real News Operation?: "Fox News seems to have a real problem with cutting old footage into new stories."
The Girl Can't Help It
The film, The Girl Can't Help It, though insufferable for long stretches is ultimately a success. My favorite moments are the Treniers performance and the Fats Domino sequence with the twirling petticoats (and then I think about how many times we've seen those petticoats in hundreds of films and TV shows since.)
Nov 23, 2009
Red Zone
Me and Bruce Jenkins, a sportswriter for the SFChron, don't really get along. He's like the biggest, all-time Barry Bonds apologist, and a gawd-awful homer for the Giants in general. Plus he hates everything from OK and TX.
But in his latest Three Dot Lounge column last Saturday we finally found some common ground. Not only about Ireland getting hosed last week but especially about the Red Zone channel. It is heaven on Sunday and I am sure the greedy, clueless NFL will shut it down sooner than later.
Enjoy it while you can.
But in his latest Three Dot Lounge column last Saturday we finally found some common ground. Not only about Ireland getting hosed last week but especially about the Red Zone channel. It is heaven on Sunday and I am sure the greedy, clueless NFL will shut it down sooner than later.
Enjoy it while you can.
Jules et Jim
You know, Jules et Jim starts out like it is going to be one of my all-time faves but ultimately falls apart.
The ending is inevitable but not surprising, and to be honest, for me, I have got to wonder, "What did they like about this woman in the first place?"
Now that I think about it, the film really starts to go downhill right when we meet Jeanne Moreau.
Maybe it is just me.
Nov 21, 2009
Nov 19, 2009
AG Holder, the Justice Dept, and Obama Are Right
They are absolutely right.
We know, folks, why the GOP has got their knickers in a twist. First, they tortured the guy to justify their Iraq invasion and second, they want to see Obama fail (and by extension, really, the whole country.)
Steven Simon, an author, and a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, really does a number on the GOP strawmen attacks but I would like to poke a spear in a few of the other lame canards the GOP (and Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, yada-yada-yada, ... ) are promoting.
Some of my best friends are lawyers, ha-ha. And I've been on a jury. There is no such thing as a truly IMPARTIAL jury. There just ain't. What judges ask juries to do is to: to their best ability put their prejudices aside and adjudicate the case as fairly as they possibly can. Sure, KSM has got to think that all New Yorkers hate him and would like to stick the needle in, themselves, but where in America would he think otherwise? Even in Berkeley/Oakland East Bay I know he'd have a rough time of it. Hell, even Kos, from Daily Kos, bans users pronto if they even whisper about Bush 9-1-1 conspiracy theories. But, just for fun, consider the kind of trial KSM would get in France. Or the UK, or Germany, or any other Western European ally; Western European nations that suffer from terrorism to a much larger extent than we ever have, and that are just as racist and xenophobic as our country is. KSM will not be pleased anywhere he is tried. Tough titties. And, I am sorry, but I love Holder's sense of poetic justice. Manhattan should be able to face its' worst terrorist.
There are two reasons KSM is being tried in the US. The first, torture notwithstanding, is that Holder is supremely confident in a conviction and a death sentence. The second is that, finally, the US is acting the way it truly should, as an example of legitimate justice. This Justice Department and this administration are through w/ torture and Gitmo and John Yoo loopholes. This trial reflects that shining city on a hill. It is, quite simply, America at its' finest.
And for anyone who says that this trial would be a recruiting bonanza for Islam, I would say, you mean more than Abu Ghraib? or waterboarding? or our support for Israel? or the Shah of Iran?
Be proud as a US citizen to watch this trial unfold. At last New Yorkers will get justice (and the rest of the world, too.)
Passion for Lit: Vampires, Palin, and Werewolves
I live right by a Landmark CinePlex, so on my walk home tonight I saw all the kids (and a few Mums and Dads w/ them) camped out for the Midnight showing. I have not read the books. My partner, Renee loves the books and has read them all. I did watch the first film w/ Renee here at home. (I think we Redboxed it.)
Yesterday, of course, Sarah Palin's book tour began in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Palin attracted a camped-out "Rock" crowd as well.
The crowds were somewhat different. In Palin's case there were fewer kids, tweens, etc, ... And the kids that were there were attached to their families. Both crowds were overwhelmingly white.
(btw, Fox News issued their second apology in about one week's time: Hannity [again, jeez] showed footage from a campaign rally last year, claiming it to be from the Michigan book tour appearance thus trying to pump up the Palin fever.)
The one thing Palin's book and the Twilight books seem to me to have in common is that the heroine in both is a victim.
Hey, I would much rather have kids reading the Twilight books than Going Rouge Rogue (and it's great that kids are reading fiction, period) but it would be nice to see kids all fired-up about an empowered tween, woman, etc, ... heroine.
Yesterday, of course, Sarah Palin's book tour began in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Palin attracted a camped-out "Rock" crowd as well.
The crowds were somewhat different. In Palin's case there were fewer kids, tweens, etc, ... And the kids that were there were attached to their families. Both crowds were overwhelmingly white.
(btw, Fox News issued their second apology in about one week's time: Hannity [again, jeez] showed footage from a campaign rally last year, claiming it to be from the Michigan book tour appearance thus trying to pump up the Palin fever.)
The one thing Palin's book and the Twilight books seem to me to have in common is that the heroine in both is a victim.
Hey, I would much rather have kids reading the Twilight books than Going Rouge Rogue (and it's great that kids are reading fiction, period) but it would be nice to see kids all fired-up about an empowered tween, woman, etc, ... heroine.
Nov 18, 2009
Sunrise
Murnau's Sunrise is a breathtaking, magical motion picture that should be required viewing for every high school student in this country.
It is beyond beautful. I hope it passes the Godfather movies in the next Sight and Sound poll.
Wes Anderson
I finally understand my relationship w/ Wes Anderson movies. I know that I'm being seduced by somthing lovely, yet slight and often shallow. But it is so lovely and the movies seduce so well that I succumb anyway.
Nov 17, 2009
Nov 16, 2009
Nov 14, 2009
Nov 13, 2009
Nov 12, 2009
An Education (film), a review.
An Education, directed by Lone Scherfig, is certainly a flawed film. The ending is too tidy & contains a superfluous 'I'm working hard' montage & voiceover.
Despite this, I cannot stop thinking about this film.
I suspect the tidy ending was dictated by the producers (aiming for a mass American audience & nominations for the film itself & Carey Mulligan) but then I also remember that Scherfig's other indie hit, Italian for Beginners, had a perhaps too tidy ending, as well.
I should reveal my disclaimer now. I have been a huge fan of Ms Mulligan for a few years now. I've seen her in The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, an episode of Miss Marple, the fabulous BBC Bleak House, and of course in the most recent film version of Pride & Prejudice.
An Education was shown at Sundance earlier this year. Ruthe Stein, of the SFChron, one of my favorite reviewers, raved about her, comparing her to Audrey Hepburn, a comparison that will become ubiquitous in print over Oscar season next year.
An Education was shown at Sundance earlier this year. Ruthe Stein, of the SFChron, one of my favorite reviewers, raved about her, comparing her to Audrey Hepburn, a comparison that will become ubiquitous in print over Oscar season next year.
Ms Stein's notice about Sundance was months ago. I have been patiently waiting for this motion picture. More information trickled in: Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay, it was based on a memoir, Dominic Cooper (one of the best actors working today) was in it, Peter Sarsgaard, who was also her co-star in The Seagull, New York and West End, was in it, Rosamund Pike was in it, Emma Thompson was in it and Olivia Williams from Rushmore and Spaced was in it. Finally when Renee and I sat down in the theater we learned Sally Hawkins was in it.
This film, ultimately, is full of great screenwriting, great performances, and is buffered by a sterling soundtrack (maybe Nick Hornby had something to do with that?)
Alfred Molina perfectly represents the early 60s English verisimilitude of a woman's place in society, he's desperate to get his daughter in to Oxford, but if an older, wealthy man would wed her, Oxford is forgotten.
Molina & Ms Thompson (and Hornby) are also almost pitch-perfect with England's (and probably most of Western Europe's) anti-semitism. Ms Thompson's speech about her Christian liberal guilt over the Holocaust, yet reminding Ms Mulligan that it was those of Ms Mulligan's boyfriend's faith that murdered 'our Lord' is sobering to say the least. Ms Mulligan's reply to this speech, "Our Lord was a Jew," is not essential to this critic, and reflects a weakness in Hornby's otherwise perfect script.
One of the best scenes in the film is The Auction, wherein the heroes of our film buy a pre-raphaelite painting for a mere 220 quid ($660 back then). Or the nightclub scene where an ultra-sexy Beth Orton sings as Ms Mulligan is introduced to a world that a sixteen year old, such as her, could only dream of. This scene contains one of Mulligan's finest moments. Her performance of the line, "I love the pre-raphaelites!" sums up my entire gay experiment in college.
Mulligan's other sterling moment is the virginity scene, before and after. She wrests control from her lover, twice her age, setting the rules for making love in an adult fashion to her condescending lover, and after the act, her curt, honest dismissal of it.
Mulligan's attraction I believe is due to her perfect nose, dimples, and deep voice. She is a great actress, too. Her reedy deep voice lends weight to her obviously young self. It barely defeats her performance in this film. It is obvious Ms Mulligan is not sixteen years old.
As intoxicated as I am with the notion that Ms Mulligan resembles Audrey Hepburn, I believe Ms Mulligan, despite her height and figure, more resembles Lauren Bacall. Which to tell the truth, is a trade-off I'd make in my sleep (I cannot stand Audrey Hepburn, except in Two for the Road.)
I fully expect An Education to get a Best Picture Nomination (there are 10! this year.) And Ms Mulligan will certainly get a Best Actress nomination. I think she has a better than not chance to make that walk in March. The Academy loves youngsters & grizzled veterans in this category and Ms Streep is in a comedy this year (Julie and Julia.)
This film, ultimately, is full of great screenwriting, great performances, and is buffered by a sterling soundtrack (maybe Nick Hornby had something to do with that?)
Alfred Molina perfectly represents the early 60s English verisimilitude of a woman's place in society, he's desperate to get his daughter in to Oxford, but if an older, wealthy man would wed her, Oxford is forgotten.
Molina & Ms Thompson (and Hornby) are also almost pitch-perfect with England's (and probably most of Western Europe's) anti-semitism. Ms Thompson's speech about her Christian liberal guilt over the Holocaust, yet reminding Ms Mulligan that it was those of Ms Mulligan's boyfriend's faith that murdered 'our Lord' is sobering to say the least. Ms Mulligan's reply to this speech, "Our Lord was a Jew," is not essential to this critic, and reflects a weakness in Hornby's otherwise perfect script.
One of the best scenes in the film is The Auction, wherein the heroes of our film buy a pre-raphaelite painting for a mere 220 quid ($660 back then). Or the nightclub scene where an ultra-sexy Beth Orton sings as Ms Mulligan is introduced to a world that a sixteen year old, such as her, could only dream of. This scene contains one of Mulligan's finest moments. Her performance of the line, "I love the pre-raphaelites!" sums up my entire gay experiment in college.
Mulligan's other sterling moment is the virginity scene, before and after. She wrests control from her lover, twice her age, setting the rules for making love in an adult fashion to her condescending lover, and after the act, her curt, honest dismissal of it.
Mulligan's attraction I believe is due to her perfect nose, dimples, and deep voice. She is a great actress, too. Her reedy deep voice lends weight to her obviously young self. It barely defeats her performance in this film. It is obvious Ms Mulligan is not sixteen years old.
As intoxicated as I am with the notion that Ms Mulligan resembles Audrey Hepburn, I believe Ms Mulligan, despite her height and figure, more resembles Lauren Bacall. Which to tell the truth, is a trade-off I'd make in my sleep (I cannot stand Audrey Hepburn, except in Two for the Road.)
I fully expect An Education to get a Best Picture Nomination (there are 10! this year.) And Ms Mulligan will certainly get a Best Actress nomination. I think she has a better than not chance to make that walk in March. The Academy loves youngsters & grizzled veterans in this category and Ms Streep is in a comedy this year (Julie and Julia.)
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