Being There (d: H. Ashby, 1979)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Having lived his life as the gardener on a millionaire's estate, Chance (Peter Sellers) knows of the real world only what he has seen on TV. When his benefactor dies, Chance walks aimlessly into the streets of Washington D.C., where he is struck by a car owned by wealthy Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine). Identifying himself, the confused man mutters "Chance...gardener," which Eve takes to be "Chauncey Gardiner." Eve takes him to her home to convalesce, and because Chance is so well-dressed and well-groomed, and because he speaks in such a cultured tone, everyone in her orbit assumes that "Chauncey Gardiner" must be a man of profound intelligence. No matter what he says, it is interpreted as a pearl of wisdom and insight. He rises to the top of Washington society, where his simplistic responses to the most difficult questions (responses usually related to his gardening experience) are highly prized by the town's movers and shakers. In fact, there is serious consideration given to running Chance as a presidential candidate. Both a modern fable and a political satire, Being There was based on the novel by Jerzy Kosinski and costars Melvyn Douglas, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Eve's aging power-broker husband.

Being There is what's considered Ashby's last great film. I haven't seen any of his subsequent films, but I can say that this is indeed a great film. For those that can get into the groove of his film (because it can be slow and non-action oriented), it opens up into a very sly satire that still seems as current as the day it was made.

Peter Sellers shows that he can put away his "silly face" and play a character straight and subtly. This is not the Sellers of the Pink Panther series. The comedy in this film does not come from what Sellers does, as much as it comes from reaction from what he does. Misinterpretation is a big theme in this film, as the film also is rich with images and stories rich for interpretation. I really need to watch this film another time in order to go into specifics.

The ending of the film is one of many interpretations. Roger Ebert comments on this in his review of the film in his Great Movies series. I invite you to watch the film, read Roger's review, and tell me what you think.

Knocked Up (d: J. Apatow, 2007), Superbad (d: G. Mottola, 2007); How To Put Maturity Off The Apatow Way

What can be said about Knocked Up and Superbad on a film blog that hasn't been hashed out already, and in more opinionated places, so really what's the bother?

I loved both of these films and enjoy the editions that I presently own on DVD. It is nice to see Tulsa homeboy Bill Hader so well represented on both discs. I am looking forward to seeing him in Hot Rod, as well as listening to him on the Knocked commentary track. The "making of" supplements on these films' discs are as wonderfuly inventive comedically as the features. I actually feel bad for Apatow and Co. (or do I feel bad for the people who buy the disc and --->) because some might buy these discs and actually think that Universal Pictures hired director Bennett Miller to "rein in" an out-of-control Apatow on the "Knocked Up" set. That Michael Cera is really some obnoxious kid. That Apatow went through five or six leading men before ending up with Seth Rogen. I may be giving more jokes away than necessary, but you should really seak out the 2-Disc Editions of these.

Judd Apatow seems to be on a Sturges like roll this year (although a favorite of mine, this year's The TV Set, which Apatow exec-produced, came and went in a few theaters earlier this year), between these two films and the upcoming Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (directed by the same director as the above-mentioned "The TV Set"), Apatow has already set himself up for backlash as long ago as July. Not so from these corners.

Both of these films are about young males trying to put off impending maturity by refusing to deal with/ignoring it like it'll go away. In "Knocked Up"; it is the pregnancy. In "Superbad"; it is graduation and the eventual division of the two boys to alternate colleges. Although "Superbad"'s ending isn't quite as poignant as those in American Graffiti or Dazed and Confused, it is still earned and balanced. It may even portray a positive message towards the high-school subject of "The Drunk Make-Out". "Knocked Up" may have some character problems, but it made up for in laugh and a likable cast, including the man I think should be in every film ever made: Mr. Paul Rudd.

Walk Hard looks like it may tread in the same "putting off adulthood" vein as these films although some may accuse the film is trafficking in the "doofus film" category. This remains to be seen, but after hearing Kasdan and John C. Reilly's Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross on NPR and hearing samples of the songwriting; I think we are in for a wild ride.

Chris Rock: Writer/Director Pt. 1 (Prelude)

Chris Rock is the best stand-up comedian working today. He has an amazing voice and delivery, but what makes his comedy work the most is the writing. The set-up, the execution, the word selection, the punchline, the implications. His material is rooted in reality, and is funny because it speaks the truth on any subject; from adultery and O.J. Simpson, to his infamous "Black People Vs. Niggas" routine and his mocking of the Backstreet Boys and NSync at the 1999 Video Music Awards. He is a master at using line repetition, lengthy off-topic digressions, and payoff jokes. Ever since his series on HBO, his work has become increasingly more topical and politically minded. This suits Rock well as he is one of the more piercing social commentators among his contemporaries (Jon Stewart, Keith Olbermann, South Park). Rock constantly works on the road and seems to be a committed standup artist.

Rock has not had that much luck in the movies however. CB4 was one of Rock's first creative projects to hit the big screen while he was still associated with SNL. While I have a soft spot for the film and its sendup of early-90's gangsta-rap and music culture, it didn't exactly burn up the box office. He has appeared in numerous films, most noteworthy being Dogma, and Nurse Betty.

Since, Rock has co-written at least three films made into production: Down To Earth (2001), which was directed by the The Weitz Brothers (ye of The Golden Compass and American Pie(the original one!)), Head Of State (2003) which marked Rock's directorial debut, and this year's I Think I Love My Wife again directed by Rock.

I have not seen "Down To Earth". It is a remake of Warren Beatty's 1978 classic Heaven Can Wait (which itself is a remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)). I also have not seen "Head of State", although I had interest at the time of its theatrical release and because of my interest in Rock's political humor. It got medium reviews during its release and I think that put me off seeing it initially.

I was on the road during the release of this year's "I Think I Love My Wife", but what struck me the most about this film was that Rock was remaking Rohmer's Chloe In The Afternoon!!! Chris Rock was going to remake a Nouvelle Vague film? Huh!?!? Suffice to say, I did not have the chance to see it.

Where this all leads me is to two fascination interviews with Rock I heard this year via the wonders of the podcast. The first was with Elvis Mitchell on KCRW's The Treatment, the second with Jeff Goldsmith of Creative Screenwriting magazine on their podcast. Both are available easier through ITunes if you swing that way.

What is fascinating about these interviews is how difficult it is for Rock to anything with his voice in comedy-film world. For instance, the studio wanted one his scripts "more black", so they hired a team of Jewish writers to punch it up. The studios initially told Rock that "CB4" was "too smart". His manager did not want Rock remaking "Chloe In The Afternoon", so Rock says he fired him! Rock sounds like he has had all sorts of studio interference in the making of his films, and perhaps that's why his film projects seemed to look like a neutered version of his standup act.

But these interviews got me on Rock's side. Rock is a very smart man as he illustrates in his interviews (the screenwriting one he is interviewed with his co-writer Louis CK) and I have decided to give his film material a new benefit of the doubt. I recently picked up "Down To Earth" and "Head Of State" on sale, and plan on getting "I Think I Love My Wife" soon. I plan to watch these films, not looking for hidden masterpieces, but looking for elements of Rock's style of humor; if that's translated to his films and how it has or has not.

This may sound like a thank/point-less task, but the man has created some of most focused and funny standup in the last ten years. These interviews showcase an amazing writer who can use his voice freely and without censor in one medium (standup), but is limited within another (film). These interviews really make me root for Chris Rock.

Revenge: Director's Cut (d: T. Scott, 1990/2007)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by All Movie Guide
Kevin Costner plays an ex-pilot who visits the posh Mexican estate of an old associate (Anthony Quinn) "Tibey" Mendes, for a bit of R & R. Tibey has turned into a very powerful Godfather type who rules his world and those who touch it. Costner can't help but notice his old friend's incredibly beautiful young wife (Madeleine Stowe) and before long they're involved in some sizzling hoochie-coo at the risk of being discovered by Mendes. Mendes eventually catches on and exacts a painful and cruel punishment on the reclusive lovers caught in their lustful liaison. Costner vows a pay-back and the last part of the movie involves his attempt to achieve it.

Revenge is what you would call a "sexually-charged" thriller, which seems to be a prime 80's genre ripe for reinvestigation. While that reinvestigation will not be happening within this review, I' ve had a nice introduction to the genre with "Revenge". To be fair, "Revenge" seems more likely a genre combination of the sexually-charged thriller and the revenge movie (hence, the title), though it it a little light on the "thriller" aspect.

What I watched recently was Tony Scott's new Director's Cut which is twenty minutes shorter than the theatrical (and previous home video release) cut. Apparently, the film was taken away from Scott by Rastar Films and turned into the version we have seen in the past (I speak as if you've seen it). I first saw this movie after reading a quote from Quentin Tarantino listing this as one of his favorite films of the early 1990's. Tarantino, being an aficionado of the revenge genre, was giving props to an otherwise neglected film. Tarantino is even quoted on this new director's edition as "Tony Scott's Masterpiece!" Now, I wouldn't go that far. And if anyone can tell me what it is that Tarantino sees in Scott's film, please lead me in that direction because I cannot find it (at least on the web).

Scott has made better films, True Romance, Enemy Of The State are two of them, but I can't think of another one since The Hunger that had such a sexual element to it.

Kevin Costner plays a retiring pilot who visits his friend (played by Anthony Quinn) down in Mexico. How these two became friends, or why they remain that way is not exactly clear in the story. Quinn appears to be leading some kind of mafioso-type life in Mexico but Costner is not involved in that area. Quinn's wife (Madeline Stowe) gives Costner bedroom eyes constantly. Soon enough, Costner is betraying his friend and having sex with Stowe during a large outdoor party/fiesta Quinn throws.

Are we supposed to accept this as okay because Stowe with betrothed to Quinn? Why does Costner fuck his friend's wife and a) expect no consequences, and b) have no remorse about it? Was I falling asleep during some of this film?

This all sets up the revenge portion. The affair is found out and Costner is beat within an inch of his life. Stowe is shipped off to a whorehouse. Costner (with the kindness of the strangers) nurses himself back to health and carries out his revenge plot, and tries to find Stowe again.

I like Tony Scott. I'll watch any movie he makes/made. I'll get into my reasoning why at another time, but I'm not sure why this is considered one of his better films. The new cut works for me. It is lean, the story moves fast, and the DVD print looks amazing. Green is used everywhere in this film, and I'm not sure what this is supposed to symbolize beyond jealousy. But, it looks beautiful. But, the motivation behind the affair baffles me. Why Costner is so quick to turn on his friend, and how fast it happens, is a fault the film cannot recover from. I end up not feeling all that bad for the leads, and I'm not sure that was supposed to happen.

The Men Who Made The Movies: William Wellman

This month on Turner Classic Movies, they are hosting a 35-Film Tribute to William Wellman.

Last Wednesday, Turner presented the special The Men Who Made The Movies: William Wellman directed by movie critic Richard Schickel. My only prior exposure to Wellman was the 1931 gangster drama The Public Enemy starring James Cagney and The Ox Bow Incident in which I watched in my Western Genre class in college. After watching the documentary, it made me want to investigate all the films showing under TCM's marathon. Wellman was one tough cookie and had a reputation for being a hardass on his actors and especially his crew. Wellman's spunky attitude shown through in the interviews in the documentary, but it also portrayed him as a born storyteller, one who could recount for you an amazing hard-to-believe tale with all the right pacing and tension needed to keep you interested and surprised at the ending. If his films are anything like that; I'm in for quite a month...

Top Five Singles Of 2007

It's that time of the year in which people start making their "End Of The Year Lists". Over the next few weeks, I'm going to post some of my own end of the year lists. First up are the top five singles of the year. These are hits or should've been hits; but who gives a shit? They were hits to me. Songs that existed outside of their album and could work solidly on their own. These are in no order of importance:




1. "Young Folks", Peter Bjorn and John.

This is the best whistling riff of the past ten years, or at least since GNR's "Patience". Hell, this is the best riff PERIOD of this whole year. I'm still waiting for the rest of the record to grow on me the way this has, but this is one of the best songs of the year.




2. "I'm A Flirt (remix)", R. Kelly, featuring T.I. & T-Pain.

What can I say? Kells keeps it up; literally and figuratively. He takes someone (Lil' Bow Wow) else's song, adds T.I. (who raps unintelligibly) and T-Pain (who is starting to reference himself and his own songs in others' songs to a Destroyer-drinking-game-like degree) and comes out with another classic. Who can deny the magic this has spread? The awesome piano riff? The amazing lyrics? Aqueduct performing it at Lollapalooza? That awesome mash-up of Broken Social Scene and R.Kelly?




3. "The Underdog", Spoon.

Incredibly catchy. Should be a Target commercial. And I mean that in the best possible way. Jon Brion production makes you wish that he produced the whole record.




4. "Need Your Needs", Georgie James.

This is a should-be-smash-hit that catapults Georgie up the College charts. Tight, rhythmic yet melodic verses give way to catchiest chorus of the year (besides by number five(s)).





5. (tie) "Irreplaceable", Beyonce; "Umbrella", Rihanna.

Tied at fifth, because I can't follow the rules. I will add the songwriting credits later. This songs exist on great beats, classic songwriting, and perfect pop songcraft when the songs hit the chorus. You can sing these choruses immediately and these songs are coverable to the nth degree.

Sydney / Hard Eight (d: P.T. Anderson, 1996)

Hard Eight is Paul Thomas Anderson's debut film, which was originally titled "Sydney". I was excited to revisit this film recently, due to my growing anticipation for Anderson's new film There Will Be Blood.

It has been at least four years since I've seen the film. Its plot similarities with Melville's Bob Le Flambeur had put me off the film, though right now I can't exactly articulate why... Perhaps I've grown out of the simplicity of plot specifics. Lately, my general rule is: It's not the story, it's how it's told. The two films are told so differently, that my previous hang-up with "Hard Eight" bears no relevance.

This is an incredibly self-assured debut as a writer and a director. Anderson is confident enough in his words and direction of actors that the first fifteen minutes of the film has no action whatsoever, other than two guys talking at a diner then continuing their conversation in a car. Phillip Baker Hall plays an aging man named Sydney who, at the start of the film, befriends a down-on-his-luck-looking young man named John (played by John C. Reilly) sitting penniless outside a diner on the outskirts of Reno. John seems to be in a rough place, having lost all the money he was trying to multiply in order to bury his mother. Sydney makes him an offer: to help John out of his bad situation in exchange for John's help if Sydney would ever need it. John accepts and Sydney takes him back to Reno. It is not clear who Sydney is, or why he does the things he does. Upon arrival in Reno, Sydney shows John a few easy cons; how to fake high activity on a "rate card" in order to get free amenities like a meal, hotel room, etc. This shows Sydney has experience in this area, knows the ins and outs of the casino world. John gets a meal and a room, and then the story goes forward a few years...

Now, I'm just recycling the plot. I shouldn't do that. Retelling the story doesn't really do any justice to how the film plays out. This is not just a movie about grifters or casino players. It is a character piece centering on one man who unbelievably gracious and giving to John and Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow) for purely unselfish reasons (or so it seems...more on that later). This film seems to be about the "why"; Why does Sydney take John under his wing? Why does Sydney care about Clementine? Why does Sydney not especially like the Jimmy character? What is Sydney's back story to this whole thing? Not many of these questions go answered, and they don't need to be. The story is about more than the character's past, and that is where it shines despite on little kink.

It is partly a story about "Old vs. New"; how the old guard, represented by Sydney, and their time, rules, and way of life is almost up. The new guard, represented by John, Clementine and especially Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), are inexperienced, daft, disrespectful, and could use a little teaching/help. This may not be the central theme of the film, as much as it is in the third act of No Country For Old Men, but it is present and haunting Sydney.

The scene in which Sydney gambles against a obnoxious younger gambler (played so watchably by Phil Seymour Hoffman) is a prime example of this theme. Hoffman's loud-mouthed douchebag eggs Sydney on and on and on. He taunts Sydney by calling him "Ol' Timer" over and again, and then winning lucky dice. This suckers Sydney into betting the Hard Eight. He loses. The very next scene he is awoken by the phone call that sets up the final act, which truly shows how much of a guardian angel Sydney is.

This film is also about redemption, in a way, and this is where I feel the story tells us something that doesn't necessarily need to be told. SPOILER. It seems that Sydney is seeking redemption through John, based on something that happened in Atlantic City (to John's father?). Jimmy knows what happened in Atlantic City and tries to use that as something additional to hold over Sydney's head. I'm not sure that we needed to know this information. Are we to expect that Sydney was looking for John before the beginning of the movie, and tracked him down to that diner? I guess it shows that there is always something else lurking beneath the kindness of strangers, but it seems like it is handled a little clumsily in the scene between Jimmy and Sydney. END OF SPOILER

This is a very solid Neo-Noir/Character film and the actors are very good in it. Lead roles for Hall and Reilly back in a time in which both were regulated to a few scenes in other films/television shows, and both make the best of their roles. Hall in the above mentioned Hoffman face-off is great, but especially juicy is the hotel room discovery scene with Paltrow and Reilly.

Anderson really started his run with this film. His commentary tracks on the DVD of this film are chock full of information, history, and process. These tracks and the Boogie Nights DVD commentary tracks set the gold standard for commentary tracks for me back in 1997/8.

It is a shame that:
A) Commentary tracks theses days aren't as juicy, educational, gossipy, and brimming with film love. And,

B) Paul Thomas Anderson is not doing commentary tracks as much these days. No Magnolia. No Punch-Drunk Love.

Raise a drink to the rest of the Anderson-athon, and towards "There Will Be Blood"!!!

Seven Men From Now (d: B. Boetticher, 1956)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Ben Stride (Randolph Scott, in a role originally slated for John Wayne) trudges stoically through the West, hunting down the seven men responsible for the murder of his wife in a Wells Fargo station holdup. As the film opens, we see him dispatching two of the miscreants during a driving rainstorm. Though the victims are deserving of their fate, the script is careful to detail the moral deterioration of Scott, who'd quit his sheriff's job to go on this unauthorized death hunt. Also turning up is Bill Master (Lee Marvin), not one of the bandits per se but actually a villain from Stride's past who happens upon the situation and sees a chance to make off with some loot. This film marked one of the few Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher collaborations not released by Columbia Pictures.

Seven Men From Now is one the (now?/cult?) classic team-ups between actor Randolph Scott and director Budd Boetticher. The film involves a cowboy named Stride (R. Scott) meeting up with and leading a married couple, The Greers, southwest towards California. There is an underlying mystery about Stride, mainly "What happened in Silver Springs?", his old hometown. What happened is; bad guys stole some gold and killed Stride's wife.

Lee Marvin wears a very bright green scarf and has a very interesting story/monologue the goes into Stride's past, and intimidates the Greers in doing so. He is as menacing as only Marvin can menace. There cannot be a love interest in this film, as Scott is mourning his dead wife. But he is obviously taken by Annie Greer, played by Gail Russell. Part of Marvin's menace is that he insinuates that she looks like Stride's dead wife.

The end shootout is really interesting because it is not often (to me) where you see the person who has been shot, look like he is really surprised when he is shot so swiftly.


06/11/2007

Across 110th Street (d: B. Shear, 1972)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Yuri German
Across 110th Street is a violent urban thriller about a corrupt, older white cop (Anthony Quinn) and an honest, young African-American cop (Yaphet Kotto) chasing three robbers-cum-murderers who ran away with $300,000 that belonged to the Italian mob. The police must find them before the sadistic Mafia henchman Nick D'Salvio (Anthony Franciosa) reaches them first. The film has reached a cult status; the title song, performed by Bobby Womack, was later used in Jackie Brown, Quentin Tarantino's extended homage to the crime flicks of the 1970s.

Across 110th Street is a lean, tough, crime picture which straddles the line between NYC Urban Crime Drama and Blaxploitation film (it has been labeled as such as long as I can remember, probably due to the cast, the setting in Harlem, and the absolutely brilliant main title theme song.

Yaphet Kotto and Anthony Quinn both star, the former as the new lieutenant on the beat, and the latter as the quick-to-violence, jaded investigator who's been working Harlem for maybe too long. They are both investigating corruption in Harlem stemming from some renegade black gangsters stealing money a causing trouble between the Italian mafia and the other black gangsters.

The film is very brutal and violent.

Antonio Fargas is awesome(as always)!

One of my favorite exchanges is when we see two police officers picking up their dry cleaning. The clerk at the cleaners tells them their total:

With tax,$1.07

The police officer says

Screw the tax, here's a buck!

Pop Matters has a great review and partial analysis of the film. You should also look for the title theme song. I first discovered it on this compilation, but it is also used to great effect in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown.


06/10/2007

Coming Soon...

Let's Launch This Shit

Alright. Here we go. It's time to start this stupid blog shit.

I'm not sure that there is any intent behind starting a blog. I'm not really going to be sharing the more personal details of my life. What I will write will be just observations about movies, music, and culture. I don't think I have any special insight into anything, I'm a constant student. I am just using this forum as a place to practice writing, log films I've watched, and to see if any of you out there have anything to add.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I live in Seattle, Washington. I majored in Film from the University of Tulsa. I am also a musician and play in an up-and-coming Seattle based group.

In a few days, I'll let this site rip. As I learn more about posting pictures, sites, sounds, etc. I will do so. Look forward to comments about Across 110th St, Budd Boetticher's Seven Men From Now, the last season of Lost (does anyone still talk about this show anymore?), teen comedies, martial arts films, current releases, and more...