Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Inglourious Basterds
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent

I would call myself a Tarantino fan. Pulp Fiction is one of my favorite movies and I really enjoyed Kill Bill. This movie is definitely more on the Kill Bill side of things. It was a stylized revenge flick. The violence was ridiculous and he blatantly ripped various genres, including spaghetti westerns. This was unlike any war movie I have ever seen. This was more like a comic book than a film.

This is not the movie that the previews made it out to be. This was not all about Brad Pitt and his men running around, slaughtering Nazis. This was maybe 1/4 of the movie, and I was glad of this. I actually found Pitt's "Basterds" to be the least interesting story arc of the film. In true Tarantino style, the movie was broken into chapters that told 3 different stories that all slowly blended together. One story was about a young French movie theater owner whose parents were killed by Nazis. She is involuntarily befriended by a Nazi war hero who wants to throw a big movie premier at her theater. The second story is about the Basterds, a crew of American Jews who are out to terrorize and scalp the Nazis. The third story focuses on a British mission to rendezvous with a German movie star double agent and take out Hitler. This all culminates into one vengeful bloodbath (with a historically inaccurate ending).

The acting was superb. Everyone was great (except for the awful Eli Roth) but were outshined by Christoph Waltz's performance as the Nazi "Jew Hunter". This guy was oozing with charisma and delivered his lines flawlessly. He was menacing, powerful, playful, and tricky all at once. He was the perfect villain. Amazing. Expect to see his name a lot at awards shows this year.

I loved that language played a big role in this movie. Nazis spoke German. French people spoke French. This may seem obvious, but almost no other war movie has taken language into account as much as this film did. Also, Tarantino has proven again that he is a great dialogue writer. The three best scenes of the movie all involve long conversations that built tension. The audience knew that someone was about to die and, in true Leone fashion, Tarantino keeps us on the edge of our seats until we are surprised when the inevitable killing takes place.

This was s fun movie, but was ver episodic. I think the parts here are greater than the whole. Is it accurate? No. Are the Nazis treated as human beings? No. Was it fun? Yes. Hitler was a supervillain. Nazis were his evil henchmen. This was a WWII exploitation film unlike any other war film.

Lesson learned: Germans count with their thumb.

Gosford Park (2001)

Gosford Park
Director: Robert Altman
Starring: a ton of people

I have seen two other Robert Altman movies, Nashville and MASH. Though this is limited exposure, I feel the movies gave me a pretty good idea about Altman's general style. Though this movie was made almost 30 years later, it shared many key characteristics. Huge ensemble cast, loose plot, strong characters, and a very slow pace. Altman likes to throw a ton of characters into a flick, each with their own story, and just watch what happens. Who needs a narrative story when you have 20 people with their own agendas.

What happens when you get a dozen or so British aristocrats and their wives and servants in a country house for a shooting party? Somebody gets killed and everybody gossips.

This murder mystery was not what I was expecting. This was not a "who dunnit?". I'm actually not sure who it was who did the actual killing. The real fun of this movie was the divide between the hired help and their employers. The story played out almost like a bedroom farce, but without all the slapstick gags. Doors are opened and closed. People try to avoid each other in a house. People hook up, emotional outbursts occur. Watching the characters slowly unfold on the screen was great (and something Altman does best).

The best part of the movie was watching the enormous, ridiculously talented cast work together. Some favorites included: Maggie Smith's scene stealing countess, Emily Watson's conflicted servant, and Clive Owen's mysterious valet. I also really enjoyed the subtle, charming performances from Claudie Blakely and Tom Hollander (who is fantastic in everything I've seen him in). The real joy, though, was Jeremy Northam. He played British actor and singer Ivor Novello, who has made it big in Hollywood. The scenes in which he plays piano were my favorites in the movie. I was as enchanted as the maids in the background. He really pulled off the charm and gusto of old Hollywood.

I liked this movie a lot. Sure, it dragged a lot. I was expecting that. This was just a rediculously talented cast to watch. I didn't even get to mention Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, or Helen Mirren. Check it out.

Lesson learned: Americans seems silly in a house full of British people.

I have a new blog. I'll still post here whenever I watch movies, but THIS is where I will be focusing my energy.

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Sunset Blvd.
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim

A classic that I had never seen before. I should have known as soon as I saw Wilder's name that it would be great. The guy has made a ton of movies that are entertaining and artistic. They are just as interesting and satisfying as anything made today (actually, way better than most).

This is an iconic movie that I think I saw a parody of on Tiny Toons once (this happens with a lot of films though: Citizen Kane, Rear Window, etc). A struggling young writer randomly finds himself on the doorstep of a washed up silent movie era starlett. She is planning her big comeback (I'm sorry, "return") to the movies and wants him to fix up her script. Of course, he takes the job. There's a ton of money to be taken from this old broad. Things go sour when she falls in love with him and wont let him leave the house. Also, she kills him (this is not big spoiler, they tell us at the beginning).

From the opening shots, I was already impressed with the camera angles and atmosphere. This movie has style. It's got all the characteristics that make film noir great. We have deadpan voiceover narration, black and white cinematography, and a moody soundtrack. The strongest piece of the puzzle, though, was the screenplay. The dialogue is so witty and perfect. Holden read the narration like a man who was helplessly away of his tragic fate.

The real joy of the movie, though, was the twisted performance of Swanson as Norma Desmond. She played her part just like a silent movie queen would, with raging facial expressions and piercing eyes. I was on edge every time she was on the screen. So creepy, pathetic, and dangerous. She was a shell of her former self. It sort of reminded me of Grey Gardens. A lot actually. She had lost all sense of reality and lived in the past.

Sometimes, I think classic movies are overrated. This is not one of those times. The final scene on the staircase gave me chills. Everything was so well done. See this movie!

Lesson learned: A car is not worth losing your life.

Top 10

Well, now that the project is over, it's time to pick the cream of the crop. Which movies did I like the most? Which will stick with me for a while? Which DVDs will I put on my Christmas list this year? Here they are: the top 10 of the summer (in order):


10. Lady Snowblood (1973)

Have you ever watched a movie and thought "that movie would have been way cooler if..."? I couldn't say that after Lady Snowblood. It was the sort of movie I've always wanted to see. A Kurosawa film, but with more action. A sword fighting movie, but with more story. An action movie, but with originality and style. This was just a fun revenge flick with great characters, costumes, and fight scenes. I'm surprised Tarantino was the first to rip it off. This is as close as it gets to live action manga.

What will always stick with me: The opening bloodbath in the snow.


9. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

I watched some classic silent films this summer, including comedies by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. The best of these, though, was a serious drama about Joan of Arc. This movie really blew me away with its intense emotion and revolutionary camera work. Probably 90% of the film in this movie was made up of quick cuts of facial closeups. What made this work, though, was the performance of Maria Falconetti.

What will always stick with me: Falconetti's crazy eyes.


8. Paper Moon (1973)

I really didn't know what to expect from this movie. Every synopsis and trailer I saw made it look sort of bland. This con man movie turned out to be anything but! It was funny and had some beautiful black and white cinematography. The was outstanding, father/daughter combo in the lead roles. This was an old fashioned good time that showed what it may really be like to be a con man.

What will always stick with me: A little girl smoking a cigarette while listening to the radio.


7. Gangs of New York (2002)

I watched 3 Scorsese pictures this summer and this was my favorite. Sure, the two classics were probably more artsy and real, but this movie was more up my alley. It was easier to watch, had a superb ensemble cast, and had some of the best sets and costumes I've ever seen (which really appealed to the history teacher in me). I could just watch Billy the Butcher all day!

What will always stick with me: Daniel Day Lewis's big climactic scene at the theater.


6. Run Lola Run (1998)

This little German movie didn't have much in the way of plot or acting. The reason it made my list is because it was so different. The 81 minute run time feels like 15. The same 20 minute story is told three times, with slight variations making all the difference. This is the film equivalent to listening to techno. My heart is pumping just thinking about it!

What will always stick with me: Lola running through the street over and over again.


5. 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)

You all probably got tired of reading boring kung fu reviews. I decided to pick the best one to put on my list. This was hard, but I ended up going with this beauty because it simply has the best fight scenes ever (and isn't that how this genre should really be judged anyway?). The story was barely coherent and the acting was over the top, but that's all part of the charm. From the first few minutes of the film to the very end, the action doesn't stop. Gordon Liu's pole fighting is really something that I can't describe. He's just the best and that's what set this movie apart from the others this chop socky summer.

What will always stick with me: The jaw dropping final fight scene involving coffins and defanging.


4. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

I guess this was the summer of martial arts and Woody Allen (an unlikely combination). Again, I wanted to pick my favorite for this list and ended up going for one that Allen didn't even act in. This movie was magic. It explored the wonder of film in a whimsical fairy tale that ended with a smack if bittersweet reality. Movies like this are why Woody is probably my favorite filmmaker of all time.

What will always stick with me: Jeff Daniels talking to Mia Farrow from a movie screen.


3. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did. Kay had been bugging me about seeing this for a while, so I threw it on the Netflix queue. What I got was the best musical I have ever seen (and it wasn't even in my language). What do you get when you mix wonderful music, eye candy visuals, and real world emotions? A classic movie.

What will always stick with me: The painfully real closing scene.


2. Harold and Maude (1971)

If I hadn't heard that this was a major influence on Wes Anderson, I probably would have never watched this movie. I'm glad I got past the disturbing plot synopsis and checked this out. This had everything I love about indie comedies today: quirky characters, hilarious gags, tear jerking moments, interesting camera work, and a killer soundtrack.

What will always stick with me: Cat Stevens music being put to good use.


1. Before Sunrise (1995)

I recommend this movie to everyone who hasn't seen it. This is a classic romance in every way. Linklater has created something so real with this movie. Even though it is made up entirely of long cuts of straight dialogue, I couldn't look away. Simply a beautiful piece of cinema that has become a personal favorite.

What will always stick with me: The hard goodbye.

The End of Summer

Well, faithful readers, I start work again tomorrow. I guess that makes this the official end to the "Daily Cinema" blogging. I can't really commit myself to regular posting at this point (not that I did a great job of it the second half of the summer).

I started this on May 12 and, as of today, I have watched 76 movies in 92 days. I missed 16 days of movies, which is pretty disappointing. However, I'd like to think that on those days I was busy saving the world or doing something else useful with that spare 2 hours.

I have learned a lot of lessons watching these movies. I'll probably do a compilation of those if I get bored in the next few days. This really has been a fun project. I've found a few new favorites and really immersed myself in the world of kung fu cinema. Though my selection ended up a little more on the bizarre than classic side of things, I saw a lot of worthwhile stuff.

More than anything else, though, this has been a creative exercise for me. Most of my reviews on here are horrible pieces of criticism. I have realized my own limitations as a writer and have tried to take the time to create some reviews that are worthwhile (which maybe a dozen or so actually are).

Fret not, comrades. Shed no more tears. I do plan on continuing this blog. Though I will not be posting on any regular schedule, I will continue to blog a review for every movie I see (which should still be a few posts a week).

Thanks for reading and watching along with me!

Day 76: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (2002)

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Director: Sam Jones
Starring: Wilco

Rock Doc. #2 for the summer project. Wilco is an amazing Midwestern band that I have still not had the pleasure of seeing live (mostly because their shows sell out in minutes in St. Louis, Tweedy's original stomping grounds). I got into Wilco my freshman year of college. A guy on my floor was from Chicago and was obsessed with the band. He gave me Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to listen to and I liked most of it (mostly the accessable pop songs like Heavy Metal Drummer and I'm the Man Who Loves You). I went on a retreat at the end of that year and snuck a forbidden cd player with me. For some reason, this was the album I kept listening to. The more attention I gave the record, the more it's open spaces hit me. It's really an incredible collection of songs delicately string together with some great production.

This documentary is the story of how this album got made (or, rather, almost did not get made). In 2001, Wilco had released three solid albums and was on the verge of becoming more than just another mid level rock band. They had just signed to a major label (Reprise) and were working on an album that was way more complex than anything else they had ever done, taking them to a new artistic level. Unfortunately (and predictably) their label didn't get it and dropped them.

A lot of the movie focused on the balance of power in the band between singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett. These guys make up the creative core of the band, but (to quote the film) a circle only has one center. Bennett had a vision for the record and meticulous attitude seemed to wear on all the other members of the band. He wanted them to take a step forward, and had a clear vision for that. He had some trouble communicating this to the rest of the band. Tweedy obviously is uncomfortable bickering on film and even throws up in the bathroom in the middle of a scuffle over the transition into Heavy Metal Drummer. It's an intense scene that really gives an insight into the creative strains of the group. When Tweedy goes on a solo tour and tries to explain the new album to a small group of people, he is at a loss for words. His discomfort (and the black and white cinematography) made me instantly think of my favorite film portrait of a musician on the verge of new heights, Don't Look Back.

The thing I found very interesting about this film is the inside look into record label business. Reprise dropped them because they wanted the record to be altered into something they could sell easier. The band refused (which I guess is the definition of not selling out). They then had a completed, paid for record that they could take to the highest bidder (which is sort of a band's dream). They end up putting it out on Nonesuch, another Warner owned label. It's just funny that Warner paid for the album twice over. It's sort of funny that this was a problem, considering that the band's latest album sees them with their most outright commercial potential.

I see Wilco as a quintessential band, like America's Radiohead. I'm looking forward to more fine music from these guys. Great movie about a great band.

Lesson learned: Music business is not an oxymoron, it's just plain moronic.

Day 75: Julie and Julia (2009)

Julie and Julia
Director: Nora Ephron
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci

This movie may have been a chick flick. I'm not sure. The fact that the director also did Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail make me wonder. What I am sure of, though, is that I enjoyed this film. Also, it made me hungry.

The film is seem is based on two books. One is the autobiography of Julia Child, the woman who brought French cuisine into American homes. The other is a book by Julie Powell, a blogger who tries to bring change or meaning to her life by cooking all of Child's recipes in a year. The parallels between their lives are pretty thin, but are held together enough to make for a cohesive film.

I'm not very familiar with Julia Child, but Meryl Streep was very likable in this movie. She was charming, funny, fearless, and honest. Tucci was the perfect compliment for her, playing the super supportive husband.

I have always been an Amy Adams fan. She is very cute and charismatic. While Streep played a character to admire and laugh with, Adams played a character that we can identify with. She is lost in her life and wants some silly little project to fill her time and give her a sense of purpose. She starts a daunting blog project. I did the same thing with this blog. I really had no plans for the summer and wanted to goal to attain so my time didn't get wasted. The only bad part is that I'm getting no book deal and I don't get to eat delicious food every time I blog.

This movie was a delightful fun time. I love to eat and cook, so watching this was a great way to spend an afternoon.

If anyone would like to turn my blog into a book, just let me know. I promise to get better at posting every day!

Lesson learned: Butter makes everything taste good.

Day 74: G.I. Joe- The Rise of Cobra (2009)

G.I. Joe- The Rise of Cobra
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Christopher Eccleston, Marlon Wayans

Growing up, my twin brother and I were obsessed with action figures. We mostly played with Ninja Turtles and Star Wars toys. Mixed in with these, though, were a good amount of GI Joes. We inherited some original toys, vehicles, and bases from our older brother and added our own into the mix. Playing with GI Joes was all about cool poses, crashing vehicles, blowing up bases, and superhuman acrobatics. The GI Joe movie was about all the same things (and sacrificing plot, characterization, and intelligence).

GI Joe is a Team America-type squad of super soldiers that battle international terrorists. The threat here was a Scottish weapons dealer who is planning to use deadly nano-machines to take over the world. Think saturday morning cartoons. There was a fair amount of fan service for those who loved the old cartoon (including the lines "knowing is half the battle" and "yo Joe".

It's really silly to complain about this movie having no brains. You pretty much know that coming into it. Instead of having a compelling story or deep, non-two-dimensional characters, we get lots of explosions and fighting. The action was pretty much non stop. The scene in which the Joes are chasing down the Baroness's car is really fun to watch. The movie, though, was all about Snake Eyes. This movie was full of awesome ninja battles, and I still wanted more!

This was your typical summer blockbuster. It was all flash with very little style or substance. It was a fun ride, but really makes me appreciate those few summer flicks that keep the fun, but take it in a little more fulfilling route (Dark Knight, Star Trek, Iron Man). At least it was better than the juvenile Transformers movies.

Lesson learned: Secret military squads don't worry much about discression.

Day 73: Grey Gardens (1975)

Grey Gardens
Director: Albert and David Maysles
Starring: Edith and Edie Beale

This is one of the strangest documentaries I have ever seen. It is so frantic and disjointed and real. It was fascinating to watch, but gave me a headache at the same time.

Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie live in an old mansion called Grey Gardens that is falling apart. Edith was a wealthy young singer who married a millionaire who left her. Edie was an intelligent young debutant girl who was courted by many rich young men for marriage. Both women have now ended up living a codependent live in a huge estate overrun with cats and even a raccoon.

This was a very eerie movie. You get the feeling that these two are full of regret and denial. They have painted their own pictures of their past lives. Edie is constantly talking about how she hates living in the country and wants to write. Edith is left laying in bed singing her old songs over and over again. They almost never see any other living souls besides each other.

Throwing a camera crew in this mess of a home seems to bring out some very interesting feelings for these women. Edith is constantly trying to impress everyone with her singing. Edie dances around and gabs non stop. Both of them want to make sire that their own side of every story is heard. They are talking on top of each other, fighting over how things real happened throughout the entire movie.

This was really a sort of sad movie. It was recently made into an HBO movie that Kaylen enjoyed (which is why we watched this). I would be interested to see how this could be turned into a cohesive film. This one was pretty rough to watch.

Lesson learned: Raccoons make ok pets.

Day 72: Funny People (2009)

Funny People
Director: Judd Apatow
Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann

I am a fan of the Apatow house of comedy. His crew churns out hilarious movies at a wild rate full of loveable characters and quotable dialogue. Though his name gets attached to almost every other comedy that comes out these days, this is only the third movie he has directed (along with 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up). I'm not sure I like this movie as much as his others, but it is definitely up to par.

Sandler plays George Simmons, a world famous comedy star who has just found out he is dying. He highers a young struggling stand up comedian (Rogen) to write jokes and become his personal assitant. He is also pining over (and later actively persuing) the "girl that got away". He also tries to grow up a little bit along the way.

This may seem like plenty of story to fill a film (and it is). However, this would be a sad movie, so Judd threw in a B story (a first for his films) that deals with Rogen's roommates and a crush he has. This really seems unnecessarily jammed into the movie, but it made me laugh, so it's hard to complain too much.

I'm not the biggest Adam Sandler fan. I like Happy Gilmore and think Billy Madison is kind of funny. That's about it. Here, though, he really impressed me. It's like watching Bill Murray in Rushmore. To se a funny man channel some really inner striggle can be very powerful. Sandler did very well at portraying the struggles of his character (which changed him throughout the movie). The supporting cast was also great, especially Eric Banna and Jason Schwartzman. Hell, I even thought Jonah Hill was funny (and I usually can't stand him!).

The real hilight here, though, was Seth Rogen. I just love the guy. I think that I would like almost any movie he stars in. He's just so loveable and genuine. Here, we see a much sweeter, honest character than he usually plays. This guy is the comedy superstar of today and I don't mind it at all.

My only complaint here is that Judd seemed to have trouble with his female characters (played by Mann and Aubrey Plaza). Both characters seemed to be flaky and nowhere near as genuine as their male counterparts.

Overall, a funny movie that handled the dramatic side very well. I thought the ending was very satisfying and would probably laugh harder if I saw the movie again.

Lesson learned: Wilco is a good date band.

Day 71: The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976)

The Man Who Fell To Earth
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Starring: David Bowie, Rip Torn

Ready for the shortest review ever? Here goes:

David Bowie (who was really not bad here) played an alien who is trying to save his dying planet. It was weird.

Also, Tilda Swinton looks a lot like a young Bowie.

Lesson learned: The 70's were crazy.

no excuse

I didn't watch a movie today. ...

Sorry! Geez, why don't YOU go watch a movie, huh?

Day 70: All The Real Girls (2003)

All The Real Girls
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson, Danny McBride

This little indie film was starred a promising young actress who hadn't made her big break yet, Zooey Deschanel (her big break really being Elf, I'd say). Directed by the same guy who made Pineapple Express, this was a totally different movie. This was a 100% slice of life movie about how complicated love can be between two regular, simple people.

The movie is about Paul, a guy who has been with every girl in his small town. That is, until his best friend's sister, Noel, comes back into town. Paul falls in love with her and wants to become a better person. However, love gets complicated for these two lost souls.

This movie, though, isn't really about the story. It's a slice of life. It's about living in a small town, relationships between friends, and finding meaning in life. The movie says just as much with beautiful scenery shots as it does with dramating conversations.

This is probably the best acting I've ever seen Zooey do. Usually, she plays an intelligent dream girl who seems out of this world. She tends to be quirky, trendy, and full of life changing insights. Here, she plays a simple, plain, small town girl. She brings subtlety to her performance that she rarely displays in movies today. She's not nearly as loveable, but 100% more believable.

Overall, this was an interesting little movie. It had some really honest portrayals of human emotions. Worth a watch for sure.

Lesson learned: Don't date your friend's sister.

Day 69: Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Saturday Night Fever
Director: John Badham
Starring: John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorely

This movie was NOT what I was expecting. I was thinking this would be a fluffy disco version of Pretty Woman or Grease. What I got instead was a filthy, otherworldly piece of bizarro cinema.

The movie is about a schmuck named Tony who has a dead end job and a crummy home life. The only place he gets any feelings of accomplishment or self worth is on the dance floor. He and his jerk gang of friends spend their time dancing, using women, doing drugs, and being racist. Ladies and gentlemen, the 70s.

This movie turned John Travolta into a superstar. I can kind of see why. He was charismatic and likable when he wasn't abusing girls or whining all the time. At least the boy could dance.

And could he ever dance. This movie's strongest suit was it's choreographed disco dancing club scenes (which seem to be the only scenes anyone remembers from this trashy movie). The music was groovin and the people all looked rediculous. It was really a strange experience watching these scenes. Each bar he walked into seemed as bizarre and foreign as the Mos Eisley Cantina. The lighting was soft, the fog was rolling, and the disco ball was dazzling. The shots and atmosphere were so weird and unlike anything you could find in the world today. It was almost like watching some alien culture.

This movie was really pretty disgusting. I found myself hating all the characters and wondering what the point of it all was. I think they should have just stuck to the weird clubs and tried not to make any important life statements.

Lesson learned: Don't dance on bridges.

Day 68: Baby Mama (2008)

Baby Mama
Director: Michael McCullers
Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler. Greg Kinnear

I love 30 Rock. Tina Fey makes me laugh like few other comedians can. Amy Poehler is hit or miss for me. Though this movie featured two ladies who I think are funny, it failed to impress me.

Tina Fey plays a wealthy businesswoman who cannot bear children. She highers a white trash woman (Amy Poehler) to be her surrogate mother. Comedy occurs.

This movie did make me laugh, but mostly at random things. Steve Martin was ridiculous as the new age organic food loving billionaire boss of Fey. Poehler's strength here was her ability to blurt out random dialogue with great timing and absurdity. Fey here was mostly playing straight woman to Poehler.

This movie's plot was predictable and the laughs didn't come frequently enough to keep me interested. It forced some sort heartfelt relationship message about having kids. Or something. It seemed like something they felt like they needed to throw in there. Didn't really work for me.

Overall, a humorous little movie that I'm glad I didn't pay to see in theaters. Everything about it was average. It seems sort of below the standard Fey has set up for herself. Not bad, but that's about all I can say for it.

Lesson learned: Pregnancy is INSANE!!!

Day 67: All the President's Men (1976)

All the President's Men
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards

Historical dramas can be really boring. Often times, they focus so much on facts and events that they fail to entertain or capture the attention of your average audience. Every once in a while, though, they really manage to show just how exciting and important events of the past really were. This film was one of the latter. Much like Good Night and Good Luck (a favorite of mine), this movie showed how the hard work of a determined journalist can change the course of history.

Based on their own real best selling book, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are two no name journalists at the Washington Post who start investigating the Watergate break in with no information or connections. By slowly climbing a ladder of shaky contacts and anonymous sources, they trace the corruption all the way up to the White House itself.

Redford and Hoffman as charismatic as actors come. Watching these two guys in their prime bounce intense, technical dialogue off of each other at a lightning pace was great to watch. It was also cool to see two actors from 12 Angry Men working together again (Martin Balsam and Jack Warden). They real highlight, though, was Jason Robards (who got a much deserved Oscar for his performance). His challenging, but ultimately supportive relationship with his young journalists was fun to watch (as was his dirty mouthed dialogue).

This movie has a very meticulous script full of name dropping and complicated political connections. It doesn't worry much about catching up the audience and gives only as much information as we need to basically understand what is happening. We see this flurry of information as overwhelming (which it would have been for Woodward and Bernstein). It started out as very overwhelming and unengaging. However, once Woodward has his intense conversation with Dahlberg (which was filmed as six minutes of a single take of phone conversation with a slow zoom), the film takes off and it was impossible to not be drawn down the rabbit hole. The darkened conversations with number one anonymous source Deep Throat were especially adrenalyn pumping.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in political conspiracy or in journalism. I wonder if this kind of hard working investigative journalism is still going on. I'm sure it is, but things like this get turned into books nowadays, not newspaper articles. I think we need people like Woodward and Bernstein to look into every administration that goes through the White House.

Lesson learned: Secrets, secrets, they're no fun. Secrets, secrets, hurt someone.

Another weekend away

Hello, everyone. I'll be gone until Sunday afternoon for a family reunion. Hope you are all having lovely summers yourselves.

Day 66: 500 Days of Summer (2009)

500 Days of Summer
Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

I knew after the first time I saw the trailer that this would be my kind of movie. It looked like it had that quirky indie-comedy feel with some real emotion and romance. All that with two of the most charismatic young actors working today and some awesomely surreal imagery. Well, turns out I was right! This is a "Pete and Kaylen" movie.

The narrator warned us that this was not a love story. I'm not sure I agree, but whatever. Tom is a young man with a job he hates (greeting cards), but aspirations to greater things (architect). He is a hopeless romantic when he meets Summer. The movie tracks the 500 days during which he is infatuated with this girl. Through good times and bad, she leaves him a cynical, sad man. Ok, maybe this isn't a love story.

The two lead actors here are perfect. I've had a little fanboy crush on Zooey Deschanel for a long time, which made her (pretty standard) dream girl character work for me. She was cute, difficult, and real. I don't know why Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not a super star. After seeing his amazing performance in Brick, I knew this guy was a great actor. He is an increcibly loveable everyman here, and I can't help but to identify with him and root for things to go his way.

The cool thing here is that we get to see an entire relationship they way someone remembers it, not how it really is. Marc takes us through their time together in a non-chronological zig-zag way. This makes certain scenes his harder and leaves gaps where things are forgotten (sometimes willingly). A lot of this is sad, but some is very funny. There is a particular scene in which Tom is very depressed and goes into a convenience store to buy essentials (OJ, Jack Daniels, and Twinkies). I was giggling uncontrollably the whole time.

The best thing about the movie is that the emotions are real. Tom experiences feelings of love and depression in extremes. He goes from dancing in the streets to cursing strangers for holding hands. Everything about his emotions are so steryotypical, but this only makes it that much more relateable to everyone watching. Summer is the kind of girl we all know, someone who is fun, but completely infuriating at the same time. I'm not sure how I feel about her as a person...this will take more viewings.

This movie will get knocked for being too "quirky", "hipster", and "cute". Backlash will come along with overhype. The same thing happened with Juno, a movie I loved because I ignored all that. This is better than all that. It is a real, hilarious, romantic movie that I'll revisit over and over again in the future.

PS- The soundtrack is rad.

Lesson learned: Girls aren't always impressed when you try to defend their honor by punching a guy.

Day 65: Lone Wolf and Cub- Sword of Vengance (1972)

Lone Wolf and Cub- Sword of Vengance
Director: Misumi Kenji
Starring: Tomisaburô Wakayama

Falling into the same chambara genre as Lady Snowblood, this is the first in the Lone Wolf and Cub samurai swordplay series. These are based on the highly acclaimed manga series by the same name (which I have been meaning to get into for a long time).

Ogami Itto is an executioner for the shogun, meaning that he assists samurai who must committ seppuku (ritual suicide). When a new regime takes over, his clan and family are killed. He then makes a run for it, taking his son with him. He becomes an assassin for hire who seeks revenge for his family.

This movie was rough. There was violence, blood, and rape. The director really built a gritty world that resembles the lawlessness of the American wild west (not surprising, since westerns and samurai movies have many similarities).

This movie, though, was all about story and action. It was like watching a live action manga. The blood sprays, the facial expressions are over the top, and the bod count is astronomical. Itto takes on dozens of ronin and dominates them all. The fight scene in the river and the final showdown are especially impressive. This movie was energetic and fun. I'm interested in checking out more of this series when I'm in the mood for a samurai movie that's a little more exciting than a Kurosawa flick.

Lesson learned: Kaylen does not like these kinds of movies.

Day 64: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery

The original Star Wars trilogy has had more of an influence on my life than any other films. The Indiana Jones trilogy is a close second. Like Star Wars, I can neither remember the first time I saw the films, nor remember how many times I've seen them. These classic adventure movies are some of the most entertaining works of pulp art ever made (and are my favorite works of Spielberg). I bought a poster of this film at the Flatstock fair at the Pitchfork Music Festival. I discovered that Kaylen had not seen this Jones film, so we had to remedy that ASAP.

This movie may as well be called Raiders of the Lost Ark 2. While the Temple of Doom gave Jones a different set of villains and a different style of quest, Last Crusade is a rehash of everything that made the first movie great. We have Nazis, Christian lore, and John Rhys-Davies. This film is especially great for me because it talks a lot about the Crusades. This is a modern quest for the Holy Grail.

This movie is probably the campiest film in the trilogy (like Star Wars, I pretend any new perversions are non-existent). This is mostly due to the iconic performance from Sean Connery as Dr. Henry Jones Sr. His chemistry with Ford is what makes this movie better than Temple of Doom.

Movies like this are not made anymore. Today, this sort of popcorn adventure tends to come off as stupid and overly cheesy. The only thing that has come close is the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I love the way these films mix shaky history with fantasy and action. Indiana Jones may be the best hero in film history. I hope George Lucas doesn't try to screw these movies up with any more CG infested sequels.

Lesson learned: Jehovah is spelled with an "I" in Latin.

Day 63: Taxi Driver (1976)

Taxi Driver
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd

My education in Scorsese continues with what is widely heralded as a classic. This movie was definitely well made, but didn't quite wow me.

Here we have the story of Travis, a man who feels alone and alienated in a dirty city full of prostitution and dirty movies. He tries to reach out to a woman who works as a political activist, but his sheltered lifestyle ends up scaring her away. This leads to a rapid downward spiral to find purpose in his life through violence and helping a young prostitute get away from her sad world.

Scorsese is, as always, a master of visuals. The cityscapes, rainy cap rides, and facial expressions are all captured perfectly. He really builds an authentic atmosphere of a corrupt city filled in which Travis sees the evil and feels isolated.

DeNiro is just as strong here as in Raging Bull. His transformation from a well meaning taxi driver to a sociopathic anti-hero. He plays it all with subtle intensity. Foster is also great here as the child prostitute.

I found most of the movie very interesting, but really sort of dull. This is a slow burner. When the film explodes with violence, I got very interested. There was some really great buildup for his character to reach this moment. The violence is gritty and real (which is fitting for this movie). The ultimate outcome of this vigilante justice ended up being surprising and satisfying.

This was a very interesting character study. This could be the origin story for a Punisher type of hero. I probably wouldn't watch this again, but found it worth a viewing.

Lesson learned: Don't take girls to see dirty movies on a first date.

Out of Office Notice

I'm going to the Pitchfork Music Festival. Normal posting will resume Monday.

Day 62: Adaptation (2002)

Adaptation
Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper

Wikipedia defines "meta" as a prefix used in English to indicate a concept which is an abstraction from another concept, used to complete or add to the latter. This is a confusing definition, but this is also a sort of confusing (and very meta) movie. Charlie Kaufman wrote a screenplay about Charlie Kaufman writing a screenplay. Bam.

The film is about screenwriter Charlie Kaufman writing his follow-up to the cult film Being John Malkovich. Wanting to challenge himself to do something new and different, he decides to write an adaptation of an unadaptatble (and real) book about a man who steals rare orchids. His (fictional) twin brother is also trying to write a much more cliche script.

The movie is really wild. Kaufman is the master of surreal plots that blue the lines between reality and fantasy. This was no exception. I said in my review for Synecdoche NY that he seems to need a talented director to help with pacing and coherence to reign things in. Here Kaufman works with Jonze for the second time and we see a very abstract script turned into a comprehendable film. Bravo.

The cast is very good (probably the best Cage performance I've seen besides Raising Arizona). Chris Cooper was my favorite here as the eccentric orchid theif. He was frighteningly similar, though, to my old landlord. Bit parts are great to watch because they are played by a rediculously talented ensemble (Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brian Cox, Ron Livingston, Tilda Swinton).

The fun part of this film is the way the film style is dictated by the screenplay. Charlie and his brother talk endlessly about how films should be made, what cliches to avoid, and what audiences want. The film references so many of the mentioned stylistic choices in actual form. It was really fun to watch (and hard to explain).

In the film, Charlie was trying to write a screenplay that taught lessons about life, love, and flowers. I think the real Charlie ended up doing a decent job at this.

Lesson learned: Look both ways when backing out of your driveway.

Day 61: Lady Snowblood (1973)

Lady Snowblood
Director: Fujita Toshiya
Starring: Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa

This may seem like another kung fu movie, but that technically isn't accurate. First, it's from Japan, not hong kong. This is a part of the chambara genre. These films are characterized as violent samurai swordplay movies. I love samurai films, but am used to the slow burning sophistication of Akira Kurosawa. This was so so different.

The plot for this film was excellent. The main character is Yuki, a girl consumed with the need for revenge. Her father was killed and her mother was abused by a group of four bad people. She has spent her entire life training and is now going one by one to kill each of them. Does this sound familiar? It should!

This film was the most dominant inspiration for Tarantino's Kill Bill: from characters to style to violence to camera techniques to music. The blood spills are abundand (with extreme spray effects and sounds). There are also plenty of intense shots of rage filled eyes. The plot is a little simpler than Kill Bill, but is expertly executed. This was exciting and dripping with cool.

This film's biggest strength is its style. The music was amazing, the fights were wild, and the acting was really good. The costumes were a neat blend of modern and period. I just loved it. This would be the sort of thing my high school friends and I would eat up. I want to watch it again to absorb all the details again. This was way more exciting and action oriented than the Kurosawa films. Not as sophisticated, but a really fun, different form of art. Instead of being a sweeping epic, this was a swell piece of revenge pulp. I'm ready to continue this genre with the Lone Wolf and Cub series.

Lesson learned: The human body is like a garden hose when sliced with a katana.

Day 60: Harry Botter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson

First things first, you should know that I have never read a Harry Potter book. I enjoy the films a lot and I like not know what will happen next. I know a lot of fans of the book spend a lot of time complaining about changes made for the movies. Without having anything for comparison, I just get to sit back and watch some fun fantasy flicks.

This film felt like the 2nd movie of a trilogy (which I guess serves the same purpose as the 6th film of a 7 movie set). It was all build up to a big finale. Here we see Harry looking into the past of Tom Riddle to look for clues on how to defeat Voldemort. Meanwhile, Ron gets ladies, Hermione gets sad, Draco gets deathly, Dumbledore gets mysterious, and Snape gets treacherous.

The cast of these movies is ridiculous. There are so many great British character actors here. The three young stars have really grown into wonderful actors. Ron especially gets some great screen time here. I'm excited to see what the future careers hold for these three. This is first movie where Michael Gambon really impressed me. Here we see a Dumbledore who is much more what I would expect from a powerful old wise man: mystique, patience, and power. The real show stealer here, though, was new professor Jim Broadbent (who really never disappoints). He was a ton of fun as a befuddled psycho. Oh yeah, Alan Rickman was also up to his high standards of amazingness.

These movies are just great. I love the world building and production design. It's wild how much better this movie is than the first two, wich were pretty mediocre kids movies (except for the presence of Kenneth Branaugh in #2). This was not like a PG movie. It was dark, violent, and full of inappropriate innuendo. These kids definitely had hormones raging in this movie. It was like watching a WB teen drama with a lot of cool fantasy stuff going on.

My favorite scene was the fight against the death eaters at the Weasley farm. Wizard fights rock.

I wasn't sure all the time why certain things were supposed to be important, but I really don't care. I'm just glad to be along for the ride with these fun characters. I'm glad they're stretching out the ending. Hopefully it will be a satisying conclusion (something missing from most of the movies). The third movie is still my favorite, but these last two have definitely been a lot of fun. The best part about Harry Potter is that it's good for fantasy movies, something that there is not nearly enough of. Though I'll always be more of a Tolkien guy, I applaud the Potter world.

Lesson learned: Boys know nothing about how girls work.

Day 59: Animal House (1978)

Animal House
Director: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Tom Hulce, Tim Matheson

People have been telling me that I need to see this movie for a long time. I'm pretty sure one of my uncles said that I needed to see this before college. My college career in no way resembled anything in this movie. I think this movie is actually partially responsible for why a lot of college kids annoy me. People want to have college memories like Animal House.

I said in my review for the Hangover, I expressed my distaste for Old School. Well, this movie is the father of that film. The Deltas are a crazy fraternity that is on probation for its bad behavior. Wild antics are abundant.

I don't want to sound like a boring fuddy-dud who hated the movie, because I actually kind of liked it. This may not be my sort of comedy because never in my life has an evening consisted of wild partying and property destruction. I also have an awful prejudice against Greek life on campuses (which is probably unfair). I still managed to find a lot of the film very very funny.

The cast was pretty good, with Belishi being the obvious highlight. I can't help but wonder how many great movies he would have made (Blues Brothers is a favorite of mine). His insane dimeanor and sheer goofiness is amazing to watch. This film also was the film debut of miss Karen Allen, who is cute as a button here (she will always have a special place in my heart). Also, Donald Sutherland as a hippy stoner English professor? You can't go wrong there.

Many of the gags were funny. I enjoyed my time with the Deltas because this flick was original for its time. Now that we also have Porky's, Revenge of the Nerds, and Wedding Crashers, this movie seems like old news. I can respect this for what it is: a crazy wild romp through the college days of other people. Too bad it influences idiots to this very day.

Lesson learned: It doesn't take a loaded gun to kill a horse.

Day 58: Bride Wars (2009)

Bride Wars
Director: Gary Winick
Starring: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway

This is the scariest movie I've seen in a while. Ok, maybe not really, but it's hard to review a movie like this without being snooty. Kaylen was tired of all the kung fu movies so she hijacked my Netflix account and put this movie at the top (are you surprised that it wasn't my choice). I watch movies like this so rarely that this was actually an interesting experience for me. This movie was not trying to be smart, sophisticated, or innovative. It just wanted to entertain its target audience on a base level. Screw critics! Too bad I'm not a member of that target audience.

The film is a bout two formerly best friend bridezillas with competing weddings on the same day. Hilarity and insanity ensue.

This movie had two main characters we were supposed to identify with. The trouble is that I only liked Hathaway's character. Hathaway is a teacher, Hudson is a lawyer. Hathaway is nice and accomodating, Hudson is aggressive and controlling. Hathaway is a brunette, Hudson is a blonde. Also, I just find Hudson unlikeable in every movie except for Almost Famous (and let's be honest, that movie was all about Fugit and Crudup).

I am engaged and am in the beginning process of planning a wedding. I am so so so glad that it will be nothing like this movie. Kaylen is understanding and willing to compromise. This will be our wedding, not her wedding.

I would love to go on and on about how cliche the plot was, how lame the jokes were, and how insulting the characters were. The problem is, you would not be surprised. This movie was not made for people like me and it is not supposed to be a great piece of art.

Instead, I'll just say "meh".

Lesson learned: Weddings can bring out the worst in people.

Day 57: Whatever Works (2009)

Whatever Works
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson

Two days of Woody. These are movies separated by decades that seem like they could have been released in the same year. This movie was not well received by critics, and I am not surprised. This shows no growth and really shows nothing new for Woody as a writer or director (probably because it was a screenplay he wrote in the 70's). However, it should come as no surprise that I did like it quite a bit even through it did show some of Woody's big weaknesses.

The movie centers around Boris, an elderly self-proclaimed genius and cynic who stumbles across Melodie, a young runaway from the South. The two develop a relationship that starts fairly simply, but gets complicated when Melodie's mother and father both arrive at Boris' doorstep.

Larry David was made for this movie (he and Woody seem two sides of the same coin). Though this part definitely has flashes of Woody's usual morbid neuroses, Allen could have never pulled this role off. It is way too mean and aggressive to be played by a wuss like Allen. David has just the right amount of pompous rage to portray a self important man like Boris (who refers to all other humans as insects). Wood is also very sweet and likable as Melodie. The way she tries to understand Boris and admire him is endearing. Her character's transformation and growth are done very well.

There were some big weaknesses in this movie, though, that Allen has always had. He has no idea how young people talk. All of his dialogue for younger people comes off so unnaturally that I wondered if he has any understanding of modern culture. He really seems to live in a past world where things like rock music and the internet are just not important. Also, Allen's philosophical ramblings start to get repetitive by the end of the film.

However, I loved seeing a movie like this in theaters. The pseudo-philosophical bull that spouts from David's mouth is the sort of dialogue that I LOVE seeing in a movie. Allen's movies put on a front of having a pessimistic view of humanity, but rarely end that way. He usually lets us know that even though life is temporary and painful and unfair, that it is really all worth it in the end. I like that.

Even though many of the laughs were cheap, I found this to be a really refreshing trip to the movies of yesterday.

Lesson learned: It takes two rounds of "Happy Birthday" to get all the germs off your hands.

Day 56: Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Broadway Danny Rose
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte

I could sit around and watch Woody Allen movies all day. The way he writes dialogue and characters is hilarious and intelligent. Though it sometimes bothers me when actors play the same role over and over again, Woody somehow remains entertaining to me. Sure, he's always the same neurotic guy, but I like that. I can never get enough of the guy. It's just comforting to see a familiar face over and over again in his movies.

This movie has a little more adventure to it than some of his other movies. Woody plays an off beat talent agent (Danny Rose) who manages bizarre acts (blind xylophone player, piano playing birds, etc). His one profitable act is a has-been Italian lounge singer named Lou Canova. Lou is having a gig that could be his big breakthrough and he needs his mistress there to ease his nerves. Danny has to go get this girl and pretend that she is his date. She is a feisty Italian lady (played by Farrow) who gets Danny into many messes (including almost getting killed) on their way to the gig. There is a particularly hilarious scene in which they are being chased by a man with a gun in a warehouse with a helium leak. It had the over the top comedic aspects of his early films, which was a great change of pace. They whole story is being told by a group of old comedians having dinner together, which added some great atmosphere.

Farrow really surprised me here. She usually ends up playing a female version of the standard Woody Allen character. Here, she has beehive hair, big shades, and a loud mouth. So so different from what I was expecting from her. Allen also turns a great performance as the desperate Danny Rose.

This was yet another great comedy from Allen. I wonder if I'd even love his critical flops as well (I did enjoy Scoop quite a bit). Maybe I should have seen Whatever Works instead of Public Enemies last night...

Lesson learned: Don't take business personally.

Day 55: Public Enemies (2009)

Public Enemies
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard

This movie did not do it for me. It may be that I was too tired for a 2.5 hour movie that moved so slowly... or maybe it just wasn't very good.

This was the story of notorious mobster John Dillinger and the FBI agents to chased him around. It was a typical cat and mouse mobster flick. There were really no new contributions to the bloated genre.

My main problem with the movie was that it refused to have any fun. It took itself WAY to seriously. Depp comes off as flat as Dillinger (one of the only times I have ever been unimpressed with Johnny). There is no joy in his performance and he keeps a stone cold face almost the entire time. The script was pretty terrible as well. It included a lot of campy dialogue, but the delivery was all straight faced. No fun to be had. Also, things seemed jumbled and underdeveloped (a rare thing for a movie this long, you'd think they'd have time to make things clear).

The only thing I really loved about the film was Marion Cotillard. Too bad she didn't have much else to work with. Every character was one dimensional and it ended unceremoniously. The quality of the film used was also off...sort of grainy, but in a home movie sort of way.

I was expecting a fresh spin on the genre for the summer. What I got was a boring movie that need more fun and action. At least the soundtrack was cool.

Lesson learned: Don't team up with a guy named Baby Face.

Day 54: Bruno (2009)

Bruno
Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen

There's not much I can say here. It was vulgar, outrageous, explicit, and funny. It was all a bit too much for me, though I did laugh a lot. I really applaud Cohen for his ability to generate this sort of comedy in his unique way. I went into this movie expecting it to be wild and was still shocked.

Instead of playing a Kazakhstan journalist looking for the American dream, here we follow a gay Austrian fashion guru who wants to become a celebrity.

I don't know how much of this movie was staged, but the majority of it seemed legit. This was so different from any other movie in theaters today (or at all since Borat). The quasi documentary style relies on Cohen's incredible ability be be a chameleon. I don't know how much longer he can keep this up, but I'm sure he won't be stopping anytime soon.

Lesson learned: The military does not appreciate fashion.

Day 53: La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)

La Passion De Jeanne D'Arc
Director: Carl Theodore Dreyer
Starring: Maria Falconetti

Talk about a powerful film. This is far and away the best silent film I have ever seen. I don't know how to put it into words. It was so powerful and so beautiful.

This movie is not about Joan of Arc the warrior saint. This is about Joan faithful teenage girl. The film has no battle scenes and really doesn't even mention the Hundred Years War. The film is all about her heresy trial. There is not context given to previous events. The script is based on the actual notes form Joan's trial.

The camera techniques were very innovative. This threw out all the rules about shot transitions or composition. Almost every shot of the movie is a facial close-up. These shots are from various angles, often from a slightly tilted or skewed perspective. The gritty black and white shows off every wrinkle on the judges faces and the purity of Joan's. The blackness and contrast of the lighting is just so awe inspiring. These closeups really drive home the emotions of Joan's character.

Joan here is a teenage girl who has found herself way in over her head. She is faithful and strong in her visions, but has no idea how to communicate them to her judges. We see her internal conflict about answers to various questions as she struggles to stay true to herself. To say that Falconetti's performance is good is an understatement. She gave one of the best performances I have ever seen. She has the ability to say more with her eyes than any string of dialogue could ever say. She has a celestial, haunting quality to her face, her eyes almost constantly blazing forward, brimming with tears. She was beyond perfect. I want to watch it again just to see her performance and attempt to feel her internal struggle.

The film did not need sound to tell its story. Words on the screen were used sparingly, always to great effect. The inquisition of this poor girl was powerfully captured by a great cast and great direction. Watching this movie was an otherworldly experience. The whole film has a dreamlike quality to it that I cannot describe. I was never sure just how to feel about Joan. The film seems to keep her at a distance, alienating her from the audience like she was alienated from the world.

An excellent bit of film history. I'll probably show clips from this when teaching the Hundred Years War next year.

Lesson learned: There is a fine line between coming off as holy and as insane.

Day 52: Sixteen Candles (1984)

Sixteen Candles
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling

Second movie of the project that I had previously seen before. I have seen brat pack movies because my fiance, Kaylen Hoffman, loves them (are these considered chick flicks? do they transcend that label?). Pretty in Pink is one of her favorite movies of all time. As a teen, Kay really identified with Molly Ringwald's character in that movie and in this one. I can see why. I'm sure that the younger Kaylen taht I never got to meet was just as unique, artsy, and angsty as this redheaded stepchild of the 80's (except it was Rooney instead of New Order).

This is a much goofier, fluffier movie than Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink. This is sort of the steryotypical teen movie (including a wild party while the parents are away! On no!). Ringwald plays a teen whose parents forget her 16th birthday. Duing her unspecial day, she is pestered by a geek and pines for a hunky jock. This is very similar to Pretty in Pink and, like that movie, she ends up with the pretty boy.

This sort of bothers me. Why would this rebellious, individualistic girl go for the hadsome, dense rich boy? Does Joh Hughes think that that's what all girls want? Maybe he thinks that all quarterbacks with nice cars are secretly sick of vapid cheerleaders and really just want to hang out with a weird girl. Who knows?

This movie is good for a laugh, but is mostly empty of deeper meaning. There are a lot of cheap laughs at a Chinese exchange student named Long Duk Dong (sometimes referred to as "the donger"). This movie is the godfather to the American Pie series and modern movies like Superbad (though a less raunchy version of both). Though this movie fails to get to any deeper truths about being a teen, it acts as a great antiquated relic of the olden days of the 80's.

PS- this is worth watching for a bit part from a very young John Cusak as a total dweeb.

Lesson learned: Don't let Kaylen near any popular rich pretty boys.

What's up with all the kung fu?

I feel like I owe you readers an explanation for the inexcusable amount of boring kung fu movie reviews you've read in the last month. Watching these films has been the most enjoyable and exciting film experience I have had in a long time.

My twin brother and I started to get into kung fu movies when we were younger (not sure when...8th grade? 9th?). This was the antural extension of our childhood obsession with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It all started with Bruce Lee movies. We bought his entire collection and watched them repeatedly, especially Enter the Dragon and the Chinese Connection. These movies were perfect for teenage boys. Lee has an amazing amount of energy in his acting and his movies were exciting and totally cheesy (which we loved). From there it went to Drunken Master II, which blew my mind with its unique style and epic choreography.

The real interest in classic 70's/80's kung fu came from Kill Bill. I was a devoted Tarantino fan and really loved the style of the fight sequences. My favorite scene in the movies was the training sequence with Pai Mei. I loved how over the top everything was (costumes, sound effects, music, choreography). This led me to look up information on the Shaw Bros. Studios. The sad thing was that Cape Girardeau didn't have a single one of these movies to rent or buy. I had to settle with newer wire fu films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero (both of which I love).

I have now (thanks to Netflix and eBay) seen many of the classic Shaw Bros. films. I love them for their pure escapism. They are so different from every other type of movie I watch. I am enthralled with the meticulous fight choreography. Everything is dripping with cheesiness and I wouldn't have it any other way. These films take me back to my childhood. I would have LOVED these movies as a kid. They are black and white stories about beating up the bad guys and being cool.

You'll probably read more martial arts reviews from me soon. These films just take me back to simpler days. Who needs good acting, dialogue, or plot? I just want to see someone show off with a cool sword.

Day 51: Five Element Ninjas (1982)

Five Element Ninjas
Director: Chang Cheh
Starring: Chentin Yee, Lo Meng, Chu Ker

There used to be this big question which sparked intense debate all over the internet: what is cooler, pirates or ninjas? I always thought this was a silly question with a ridiculously obvious answer: ninjas, of course. I won't get into the plethora of reasons for this right now, I have a rad movie to talk about.

This is considered one of the many "Venoms" movies, meaning that it was directed by Cheh and has much of the same cast from The Five Venoms. This was one of the most mind blowing and deranged movies I've watched recently.

The film centers around a man looking for revenge on the ninjas who killed his master and his friends. The ninjas use the powers/techniques of the five elements (gold, wood, fire, earth, and water) to defeat the rival school. The abilities are:
Gold- gold chields that reflect light and shoot darts
Wood- tree disguises and claws
Fire- pink smoke that blinds enemies
Earth- burrowing under ground and poking up with spears
Water- swim and use hooks to drag people under
The protagonist also learns ninjitsu to defeat the ninjas.

This movie was almost nonstop action, with only a period in the middle of the film dragging a little bit. It start off with a martial arts tournament which includes something different from other kung fu movies: a samurai. It was fun to watch Japanese fighting styles go against Chinese martial arts. The final fight was one of the most fun and rediculously gory things I have ever seen. Tons of cheese, but not in a bad way. Were the special effects and wire work horrible? Absolutely. The whole thing had an absurd audacity to it that most films today would never attempt. This is just the sort of spray-fest Tarantino was paying tribute to with Kill Bill.

The ninjas in this movie soooooo cool (as all should be). They used real historical ninja weapons and equipment, but had a supernatural element to them. They were truly silent and invisible. The flick even included a deadly ninja chick. Doesn't get much better than that.

With the big resurgence of pirate movies lately, someone needs to come along and bring about the rebirht of the ninja movie. If it has half the fun of this film, I'll gladly go along for the ride.

Lesson learned: Ninjas are cool.