(Springfield, Washington D.C., Alaska, Seattle; contemporary)
IMDb
Now we don't really need a Simpson's movie, as you know, but that being said its still an enjoyable novelty that gets to go a little farther in its button pushing then the TV show. You have a little fouler language, and brief animated nudity to boot. However most of the movie is a retread of things you've seen on the TV show, but would you really want/expect anything else out a Simpson's movie. To me the funnest gage was a joke on Disney style animation. 'Spider Pig' or 'Harry Plopper' is surprisingly central to the plot.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
The Last Tycoon (1976)
(Hollywood, California; early-to-mid 1930’s)
IMDb
Elia Kazan’s last film is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished final novel, which itself was inspired by the short but eventful life of MGM production head Irving Thalburg. Robert De Niro is Monroe Stahr, a man who in a short 35 years of life rose from a New York Street kid to running a major Hollywood studio, International World Films. Always ambitious, he had become even more enveloped in his work after the death of his wife, a successful actress. One night on the studio lot Stahr spy’s a beautiful young women who reminds him of his late wife (Ingrid Boulting), instantly smitten he expends his resources on a search for the young women, whom he discovers to have ambitions only for a quite life.
The basic arc is classic Fitzgerald, a powerful man who is not happy because he can not have the women he loves, but playwright Harold Pinter, who composed the script, chooses to also explore the unfinished nature of story, like that F. Scott’s novel, or Thalburg’s life. The ending is thus left ambiguous, if leading. Despite some real thought in the writing, and an excellent cast, which includes the fun bonus of having former studio system actors play aging IWF employees, such as (John Carradine as a studio tour guide), relatively little happens in the film, and what does reminds one of superior De Niro movies such as Once Upon a Time in America and The Godfather Part II. Non-the-less a neat curio on several levels, including one of the better looking movies within a movie (Highway to Tomorrow) that I can recall. Also De Niro and Nicholson play ping-pong, no really.
IMDb
Elia Kazan’s last film is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished final novel, which itself was inspired by the short but eventful life of MGM production head Irving Thalburg. Robert De Niro is Monroe Stahr, a man who in a short 35 years of life rose from a New York Street kid to running a major Hollywood studio, International World Films. Always ambitious, he had become even more enveloped in his work after the death of his wife, a successful actress. One night on the studio lot Stahr spy’s a beautiful young women who reminds him of his late wife (Ingrid Boulting), instantly smitten he expends his resources on a search for the young women, whom he discovers to have ambitions only for a quite life.
The basic arc is classic Fitzgerald, a powerful man who is not happy because he can not have the women he loves, but playwright Harold Pinter, who composed the script, chooses to also explore the unfinished nature of story, like that F. Scott’s novel, or Thalburg’s life. The ending is thus left ambiguous, if leading. Despite some real thought in the writing, and an excellent cast, which includes the fun bonus of having former studio system actors play aging IWF employees, such as (John Carradine as a studio tour guide), relatively little happens in the film, and what does reminds one of superior De Niro movies such as Once Upon a Time in America and The Godfather Part II. Non-the-less a neat curio on several levels, including one of the better looking movies within a movie (Highway to Tomorrow) that I can recall. Also De Niro and Nicholson play ping-pong, no really.
Ingmar Bergman: 1918-2007
The Swedish born, death obsessed movie and stage director, with whom I share a birthday, has passed away at the age of 89. Bergman known for such films as The Seventh Seal and Fanny & Alexander was a favorite of critics and art-house types the world over. His films were dark mediation's on humanity and mortality and tended to be the exact opposite of what you might call a popcorn film. Religious overtones were also commonly present, perhaps a result of growing the son of the official Lutheran minister of the King of Sweden. I was pleased to read an article several years ago in which Bergman confessed he had finally made peace with his mortality, death having been the spectral bugaboo that brought dread to his mind since childhood. But it was that fear of death that added to the residence of many of his films, especially The Seventh Seal, and probably provoked him to the impressive output he left behind. Now might be a good time to sample some of that work, I know I intend to.
The Swedish born, death obsessed movie and stage director, with whom I share a birthday, has passed away at the age of 89. Bergman known for such films as The Seventh Seal and Fanny & Alexander was a favorite of critics and art-house types the world over. His films were dark mediation's on humanity and mortality and tended to be the exact opposite of what you might call a popcorn film. Religious overtones were also commonly present, perhaps a result of growing the son of the official Lutheran minister of the King of Sweden. I was pleased to read an article several years ago in which Bergman confessed he had finally made peace with his mortality, death having been the spectral bugaboo that brought dread to his mind since childhood. But it was that fear of death that added to the residence of many of his films, especially The Seventh Seal, and probably provoked him to the impressive output he left behind. Now might be a good time to sample some of that work, I know I intend to.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
La Dolce Vita (1960)
(Italy, mostly Rome; contemporary)
IMDb
I liked this Fellini film more then I liked 8 ½. I felt this movie was more diverse and entertaining, though it dwells on similar themes to its more recognized follow-up. La Dolce Vita follows roughly a year in the life of Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) a reporter for a Rome based tabloid newspaper. The narrative is all a little diffuse, its not the standard three act structure (as Director Alexander Payne points out in the DVD introduction), but I suppose that is typical for Fellini. Rather it’s a collection of episodic events, tied together to varying degree’s, and meditating on the decent of the already cynical and disillusioned Marcello to new depths of internal madness.
Two storylines stand out to me, out of probably a half dozen. The first concerns two children who claim to have seen a vision of the Madonna near a tree in sparsely populated tundra near their home. These children we learn are obviously lying, their playing a game and exploiting the somewhat garish religious sentiments of the adults around them. The Catholic priest sent in from the Vatican to adjudge the claims of a miracle see’s this, and he leaves unimpressed. But hopeful town folks, as well as a horde of media await, staging a return visit of the duo to the tree that night. When greeted with all this attention and movie camera’s, the two act up, claiming to see the blessed virgin over there, and now over there, and there. Before long chaos has been let lose on the sight, with ecstatic Italian women tearing the tree apart in the hopes of taking home a little holy wood, destroying what they find sacred in a made rush of enthusiasm. The pounding rain that accompanies this sequence, and adds to confusion, just reinforces a sense of weeping at our collective inability to cope. Many of the sick, who came and laid on mats, holding candles and hopping for a miracle, die that night, as a result of the rain, cold, chaos, and general state of neglect.
The other story that stood out to me concerns Steiner, and acquaintance of Marcello’s whom he envies. Steiner is successful, well off, with a beautiful house, charming family, and fascinating friends. When Marcello confesses to his friend his envy, while attending a party at the mans home, Steiner responds that he is not to be envied, and we find that his seeming composer masks a form of existential despair. Yet I was surprised, much later in the film, when Steiner snaps and kills his two young children before taking his own life. Marcello is shocked to, and this appears to be the event the really unhinges him, leading to his departure from journalism, and debouched state at the end of the film. La Dolca Vita has its light moments too, which when added to the more poignant sequences produces a rich tapestry of a film, one that doubtless gains more resonance upon repeat viewing.
IMDb
I liked this Fellini film more then I liked 8 ½. I felt this movie was more diverse and entertaining, though it dwells on similar themes to its more recognized follow-up. La Dolce Vita follows roughly a year in the life of Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) a reporter for a Rome based tabloid newspaper. The narrative is all a little diffuse, its not the standard three act structure (as Director Alexander Payne points out in the DVD introduction), but I suppose that is typical for Fellini. Rather it’s a collection of episodic events, tied together to varying degree’s, and meditating on the decent of the already cynical and disillusioned Marcello to new depths of internal madness.
Two storylines stand out to me, out of probably a half dozen. The first concerns two children who claim to have seen a vision of the Madonna near a tree in sparsely populated tundra near their home. These children we learn are obviously lying, their playing a game and exploiting the somewhat garish religious sentiments of the adults around them. The Catholic priest sent in from the Vatican to adjudge the claims of a miracle see’s this, and he leaves unimpressed. But hopeful town folks, as well as a horde of media await, staging a return visit of the duo to the tree that night. When greeted with all this attention and movie camera’s, the two act up, claiming to see the blessed virgin over there, and now over there, and there. Before long chaos has been let lose on the sight, with ecstatic Italian women tearing the tree apart in the hopes of taking home a little holy wood, destroying what they find sacred in a made rush of enthusiasm. The pounding rain that accompanies this sequence, and adds to confusion, just reinforces a sense of weeping at our collective inability to cope. Many of the sick, who came and laid on mats, holding candles and hopping for a miracle, die that night, as a result of the rain, cold, chaos, and general state of neglect.
The other story that stood out to me concerns Steiner, and acquaintance of Marcello’s whom he envies. Steiner is successful, well off, with a beautiful house, charming family, and fascinating friends. When Marcello confesses to his friend his envy, while attending a party at the mans home, Steiner responds that he is not to be envied, and we find that his seeming composer masks a form of existential despair. Yet I was surprised, much later in the film, when Steiner snaps and kills his two young children before taking his own life. Marcello is shocked to, and this appears to be the event the really unhinges him, leading to his departure from journalism, and debouched state at the end of the film. La Dolca Vita has its light moments too, which when added to the more poignant sequences produces a rich tapestry of a film, one that doubtless gains more resonance upon repeat viewing.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Shane (1953)
(Unspecified western state, likely Wyoming; late 19th century, possibly 1890's)
IMDb
Beloved western staring Alan Ladd. Simple story elegantly told. Deals with archetypal American themes of the land, individual rights, and the stoic stranger. Excellent cast includes Van Heflin, Jean Arthur, Jack Palance, and Brandon De Wilde at the start of his far to short career. You should see this one.
Also today caught about 85-90% of Zodiac (2006) over at my brothers. Real good, I intend to see the whole thing some time.
IMDb
Beloved western staring Alan Ladd. Simple story elegantly told. Deals with archetypal American themes of the land, individual rights, and the stoic stranger. Excellent cast includes Van Heflin, Jean Arthur, Jack Palance, and Brandon De Wilde at the start of his far to short career. You should see this one.
Also today caught about 85-90% of Zodiac (2006) over at my brothers. Real good, I intend to see the whole thing some time.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
(L. A., Las Vegas and environs; contemporary)
IMDb
As we near the 30th anniversary of his death, I anticipate seeing a fair number of Elvis movies, provided to me by my Elvis fanatic sister. For the record my favorite Elvis movie is 1962's Follow That Dream. The plot of that movie involves Elvis as a hillbilly homesteader turned small town sheriff, who takes on a mob backed mobile gambling racket while fending off the romantic advances of a lady psychologist and his own adoptive sister. Yes, the movie is every bit as awesome as it sounds, and proves the rule of there being great camp value to most Elvis fair. This being the case, further perusal of the sub-genera seems worth some minimal effort.
For my first 30th anniversary selection I picked Viva Las Vegas from 1964. Here we have Elvis as a singing race car driver, and a plot involving missing money and a much needed motor. However this is purely a secondary detail, because as with most of Mr. Presley's films your not watching the thing for the plot. Women watch for the Elvis singing, mean for the Elvis love interests. In this case we have Ann-Marget in her prime as a swimming instructor (que bathing suites) and University student who seems to be majoring in modern dance (que yet more spandex outfits). Ann shakes, Elvis croons, and 90 minutes go by with nary a thing for the great William Demarest (here playing Ann's father) to do. Nicky Blair meanwhile evokes Maynard G. Krebs as Elvis's mechanic. As with most Elvis movies, there's really not a lot to analyses, just some totally inconsequential entertainment.
IMDb
As we near the 30th anniversary of his death, I anticipate seeing a fair number of Elvis movies, provided to me by my Elvis fanatic sister. For the record my favorite Elvis movie is 1962's Follow That Dream. The plot of that movie involves Elvis as a hillbilly homesteader turned small town sheriff, who takes on a mob backed mobile gambling racket while fending off the romantic advances of a lady psychologist and his own adoptive sister. Yes, the movie is every bit as awesome as it sounds, and proves the rule of there being great camp value to most Elvis fair. This being the case, further perusal of the sub-genera seems worth some minimal effort.
For my first 30th anniversary selection I picked Viva Las Vegas from 1964. Here we have Elvis as a singing race car driver, and a plot involving missing money and a much needed motor. However this is purely a secondary detail, because as with most of Mr. Presley's films your not watching the thing for the plot. Women watch for the Elvis singing, mean for the Elvis love interests. In this case we have Ann-Marget in her prime as a swimming instructor (que bathing suites) and University student who seems to be majoring in modern dance (que yet more spandex outfits). Ann shakes, Elvis croons, and 90 minutes go by with nary a thing for the great William Demarest (here playing Ann's father) to do. Nicky Blair meanwhile evokes Maynard G. Krebs as Elvis's mechanic. As with most Elvis movies, there's really not a lot to analyses, just some totally inconsequential entertainment.
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