GREAT MOVIES YOU PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF
Part 1
I’m starting a series on movies I thought were super but which are fairly obscure, or did little business, or both. Those of you who regularly graze these posts looking for something good to watch should be pleased.
There really isn’t a better immigrant film than the wonderful Avalon (1990), the third of Barry Levinson’s filmic missives to his city. The immigrants happen to be Jews, but their story of making it in America applies across the board to all of us immigrants. At 126 minutes, it takes its time on small, interlocked and telling stories. You leave this one feeling warm and proud to be an American.
In Babette’s Feast (1987) two very religious spinsters take in a young maid (Stephanie Audran). She is able to show her love, by preparing a wondrous meal. This is a lovely, simple movie that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. The feast is to die for.
Ballad Of A Soldier (1959) is a Russian wonder. Okay, I know we’re not getting along right now, but we weren’t in 1959 either. During World War II a Russian private takes out two German tanks, almost single-handedly. His commander wants to give him a medal, but he would rather have a furlough to see his mother. He gets six days. On the way, he has many adventures including falling in love. Against great odds, he makes it to his hometown and does get to see his mom for a short time. Then he hightails it back to the front. The ending is not what we want but probably isn’t that surprising.
The Big Red One (1980) is a most unusual war movie. It successfully gets inside the minds of a small unit which believes itself, and seems to be, invincible. The fun part is that we don't believe it and slowly they convince us that they are truly charmed. Lee Marvin is their leader, and one of the young soldiers is Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker!). It succeeds beyond the probable, and personalizes the individual soldier's life.
Breaker Morant (1980) introduced Aussie super-star Bryan Brown to Americans. It is based upon a true story of three soldiers in the Boer War accused of cowardice in a trumped-up charge to further Great Britain's political requirements. Director Bruce Beresford later revealed the soldiers were probably guilty as hell, but he was going for a good story and he got it. Guilty or not, it raises all kinds of questions about what became the Nuremberg defense (we were only following orders) and how ordinary people can do awful things.
All of the films in this post are available on DVD and for streaming. All are for adults. And there will be more great movies you’ve probably never heard of in future posts.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Sunday, June 19, 2016
BEST ACTOR?
Too often the Academy Award for Best Actor has been based on a career rather than an individual performance. As in- “It’s about time we gave so-and-so an Oscar; he ain’t gonna live forever.” Well, maybe that’s ok, but I have some problems with it.
Most recently Michael Keaton won the gold for Birdman in 2015. He was pretty good. But even better were Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game, and Eddie Redmayne in The Theory Of Everything.
John Wayne is an American icon and appeared in over 50 movies and I yield to no one in liking most of his films. But let’s face it- the guy just played himself over and over. In 1969, he won the Oscar as Best Actor for True Grit, a fine tongue-in-cheek Western. Who didn’t win are Dustin Hoffman or Jon Voight for Midnight Cowboy, and frankly The Duke couldn’t carry either one’s union card.
In 1961, the award went to Maximillian Schell, who wasn’t even the best actor in the dreary, overlong Judgment At Nuremberg. Who should have won? How about the young and wonderful Paul Newman as the immortal Fast Eddie in The Hustler.
A more recent example of career-time syndrome happened in 2001, when Denzel Washington (by the way, as good an actor as we have) won for one of his worst films, Training Day. I know, I know, he played a bad guy- so what! He should have won several times, like for The Hurricane, or Antwone Fisher or Malcolm X. But he didn’t. That year he beat out Russell Crowe for A Beautiful Mind and Will Smith for Ali. He shouldn’t have.
Tom Hanks has won two Oscars. He deserves at least that many, but maybe not for Forest Gump (1994), sort of a one-note performance. That year, for my money, the winner is Paul Newman in his best career performance in Nobody’s Fool. And in 1998, I would argue that Hanks should have won for Saving Private Ryan instead of the
self-indulgent Robert Benigni for Life Is Beautiful.
Rod Steiger’s turn as a redneck sheriff got him the gold in 1967 for In The Heat Of The Night. Not bad, but what about Dustin Hoffman’s performance in The Graduate, which is only a letter-perfect rendering of a 60's youngster.
Robert DeNiro has won the Oscar twice (Raging Bull and Godfather 2). But may I suggest he certainly should have won in 1976 for Taxi Driver. Shoot, Travis Bickle has become more famous than lots of real people! (Are you lookin’ at me?). Can’t remember who won? How about Peter Finch for Network?
Some of you may argue with these selections. I’ll be disappointed if you don’t!
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming (so you can judge for yourself!). All are for grown-ups.
Too often the Academy Award for Best Actor has been based on a career rather than an individual performance. As in- “It’s about time we gave so-and-so an Oscar; he ain’t gonna live forever.” Well, maybe that’s ok, but I have some problems with it.
Most recently Michael Keaton won the gold for Birdman in 2015. He was pretty good. But even better were Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game, and Eddie Redmayne in The Theory Of Everything.
John Wayne is an American icon and appeared in over 50 movies and I yield to no one in liking most of his films. But let’s face it- the guy just played himself over and over. In 1969, he won the Oscar as Best Actor for True Grit, a fine tongue-in-cheek Western. Who didn’t win are Dustin Hoffman or Jon Voight for Midnight Cowboy, and frankly The Duke couldn’t carry either one’s union card.
In 1961, the award went to Maximillian Schell, who wasn’t even the best actor in the dreary, overlong Judgment At Nuremberg. Who should have won? How about the young and wonderful Paul Newman as the immortal Fast Eddie in The Hustler.
A more recent example of career-time syndrome happened in 2001, when Denzel Washington (by the way, as good an actor as we have) won for one of his worst films, Training Day. I know, I know, he played a bad guy- so what! He should have won several times, like for The Hurricane, or Antwone Fisher or Malcolm X. But he didn’t. That year he beat out Russell Crowe for A Beautiful Mind and Will Smith for Ali. He shouldn’t have.
Tom Hanks has won two Oscars. He deserves at least that many, but maybe not for Forest Gump (1994), sort of a one-note performance. That year, for my money, the winner is Paul Newman in his best career performance in Nobody’s Fool. And in 1998, I would argue that Hanks should have won for Saving Private Ryan instead of the
self-indulgent Robert Benigni for Life Is Beautiful.
Rod Steiger’s turn as a redneck sheriff got him the gold in 1967 for In The Heat Of The Night. Not bad, but what about Dustin Hoffman’s performance in The Graduate, which is only a letter-perfect rendering of a 60's youngster.
Robert DeNiro has won the Oscar twice (Raging Bull and Godfather 2). But may I suggest he certainly should have won in 1976 for Taxi Driver. Shoot, Travis Bickle has become more famous than lots of real people! (Are you lookin’ at me?). Can’t remember who won? How about Peter Finch for Network?
Some of you may argue with these selections. I’ll be disappointed if you don’t!
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming (so you can judge for yourself!). All are for grown-ups.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
JANE AUSTEN LIVE!
The great Jane Austen movie gold rush of the 90's has just received a new injection with the release of the splendid Love And Friendship (2016). It is a clever and very funny adaptation of the little-known Austen novel Lady Susan. Look for Kate Beckinsale to be in the running for an Oscar next year. She is the title character, Susan Vernon, and though impoverished and with a somewhat shaky reputation, she is determined to find a suitable husband for herself and her daughter. Her methods and comments are hilarious.
Mansfield Park (1999) marked the end of what had been a grand run of Austen films until this year. Patricia Rozema has injected much modernity into Mansfield Park, but not too much. Fanny (Frances O’Connor) becomes a determined feminist writer and alter ego for Ms. Austen. The film successfully depicts the constriction of a British colonial system dominated by short-sighted masculine power. The playwright Harold Pinter does an excellent turn as the sputtering squire of the manor. The film works well; Ms. Austen can always be counted on for a ripping good story.
Sense and Sensibility (1995) represents the culmination of a personal mission by Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay (Oscar) and produced. She is the Sense part of the pair of impoverished sisters with few prospects. Kate Winslet of Titanic fame is the emotional Sensibility sibling. Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant join a very good cast in one of the best cinematic adaptations of a Jane Austen novel.
Emma (1996) is a showcase for the talented Gwyneth Paltrow as the Austen character arranging everyone else’s lives while her own drifts toward emptiness. A splendid ensemble cast effortlessly moves this fine adaptation along. The same Austen story works as well in modern California in Clueless (1995). Alicia Silverstone is the Valley Girl arranger and Stacey Dash her sidekick in this clever, successful Austen update. These two films would make a fascinating video double feature!
Pride and Prejudice is the most famous Austen story. There are excellent
made-for-TV versions from 1985 and 1995, but the 1940 version with Greer Garson
and Sir Laurence Olivier remains the benchmark. Any of these are well worth your while Sanditon was never completed by Ms. Austen. It was a satire of health care and resorts that she unfortunately knew first hand. There’s enough there for a screenplay, though...
And now the bad news: Northanger Abbey (1987), the Austen parody of breathless Gothic novels, just doesn’t work very well. The screenplay and direction seem to lose their nerve and settle for OK. Oh, and then there’s Pride And Prejudice And Zombies...oh please...
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming except, of course, Love And Friendship which should be accessible later this year. None are suitable for children under 12 because they won’t like them.
The great Jane Austen movie gold rush of the 90's has just received a new injection with the release of the splendid Love And Friendship (2016). It is a clever and very funny adaptation of the little-known Austen novel Lady Susan. Look for Kate Beckinsale to be in the running for an Oscar next year. She is the title character, Susan Vernon, and though impoverished and with a somewhat shaky reputation, she is determined to find a suitable husband for herself and her daughter. Her methods and comments are hilarious.
Mansfield Park (1999) marked the end of what had been a grand run of Austen films until this year. Patricia Rozema has injected much modernity into Mansfield Park, but not too much. Fanny (Frances O’Connor) becomes a determined feminist writer and alter ego for Ms. Austen. The film successfully depicts the constriction of a British colonial system dominated by short-sighted masculine power. The playwright Harold Pinter does an excellent turn as the sputtering squire of the manor. The film works well; Ms. Austen can always be counted on for a ripping good story.
Sense and Sensibility (1995) represents the culmination of a personal mission by Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay (Oscar) and produced. She is the Sense part of the pair of impoverished sisters with few prospects. Kate Winslet of Titanic fame is the emotional Sensibility sibling. Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant join a very good cast in one of the best cinematic adaptations of a Jane Austen novel.
Emma (1996) is a showcase for the talented Gwyneth Paltrow as the Austen character arranging everyone else’s lives while her own drifts toward emptiness. A splendid ensemble cast effortlessly moves this fine adaptation along. The same Austen story works as well in modern California in Clueless (1995). Alicia Silverstone is the Valley Girl arranger and Stacey Dash her sidekick in this clever, successful Austen update. These two films would make a fascinating video double feature!
Pride and Prejudice is the most famous Austen story. There are excellent
made-for-TV versions from 1985 and 1995, but the 1940 version with Greer Garson
and Sir Laurence Olivier remains the benchmark. Any of these are well worth your while Sanditon was never completed by Ms. Austen. It was a satire of health care and resorts that she unfortunately knew first hand. There’s enough there for a screenplay, though...
And now the bad news: Northanger Abbey (1987), the Austen parody of breathless Gothic novels, just doesn’t work very well. The screenplay and direction seem to lose their nerve and settle for OK. Oh, and then there’s Pride And Prejudice And Zombies...oh please...
All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming except, of course, Love And Friendship which should be accessible later this year. None are suitable for children under 12 because they won’t like them.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
TIM BURTON
Whether you love him or hate him, you can bet the farm that director Tim Burton will surprise you with something different every time. Big Fish (2003) is a prime example. Albert Finney (with a pitch-perfect Alabama accent!) is an old-time Southern yarn spinner. His son (Billy Crudup) wants to know the real Dad behind all the stories. There are circus acts, a mystical city, a giant named Carl, a witch who can show you your future, and a 15-foot-catfish. The thing is, the stories are the life of the father. Well, I really liked it but admit it is not to all tastes.
Neither is Edward Scissorhands (1990) with Johnny Depp as a boy whose hands are cutting tools. In this fabulous fairy tale Edward creates wonderful topiaries with his hands, and nearly everyone wants a piece of him. He spices up the lives of the residents of this grimly charming suburb and tries to save them all from..themselves (?).
Mr. Burton wrote (but did not direct) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). This weirdly wonderful film is made from a combination of stop-motion and replacement animation, and doesn’t look like anything else. Halloweentown hero Jack Skellington tries to redefine Christmas with decidedly mixed results. You’ll know in the first 15 minutes if you’ll like it or not.
Ed Wood (1994) was a labor of love for Tim Burton. It is the story of probably the worst director to actually get films made, and he is skillfully and perfectly played by Johnny Depp. Wood’s movies included Plan Nine From Outer Space, and Glenn And Glenda. Martin Landau won an Oscar playing Wood favorite Bela Lugosi. This movie is filled with campy delights and rides along on the oblivious optimism of Wood.
Sleepy Hollow (1999) owes little to the Washington Irving tale but lots to Mr. Burton’s penchant for making strange but effective movies. Johnny Depp (yes, him again) is a New York detective sent to Sleepy Hollow to catch a headless horseman who is killing the residents. If you like creepy and scary, this is for you!
Remember those hokey paintings that were popular in the 50's and 60's featuring children with enormous eyes? Okay, maybe you’re too young to remember them. Well, anyway, Big Eyes (2014) is the more-or-less true story of the shy female artist who painted them, how she was victimized by her controlling husband, and what finally happened. Amy Adams is splendid as the artist and Christopher Waltz convincingly slimy as her husband.
Be on the lookout for Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, an upcoming Burton outing that sounds just right for his resume’.
Less effective Tim Burton outings include Beetlejuice (1988), the first two Batman movies, Mars Attacks! (1996), and a doggy remake of Planet of the Apes (2001). All these are graded Miss It If You Can. All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming. All are for grown-ups, and all are weird!
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Whether you love him or hate him, you can bet the farm that director Tim Burton will surprise you with something different every time. Big Fish (2003) is a prime example. Albert Finney (with a pitch-perfect Alabama accent!) is an old-time Southern yarn spinner. His son (Billy Crudup) wants to know the real Dad behind all the stories. There are circus acts, a mystical city, a giant named Carl, a witch who can show you your future, and a 15-foot-catfish. The thing is, the stories are the life of the father. Well, I really liked it but admit it is not to all tastes.
Neither is Edward Scissorhands (1990) with Johnny Depp as a boy whose hands are cutting tools. In this fabulous fairy tale Edward creates wonderful topiaries with his hands, and nearly everyone wants a piece of him. He spices up the lives of the residents of this grimly charming suburb and tries to save them all from..themselves (?).
Mr. Burton wrote (but did not direct) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). This weirdly wonderful film is made from a combination of stop-motion and replacement animation, and doesn’t look like anything else. Halloweentown hero Jack Skellington tries to redefine Christmas with decidedly mixed results. You’ll know in the first 15 minutes if you’ll like it or not.
Ed Wood (1994) was a labor of love for Tim Burton. It is the story of probably the worst director to actually get films made, and he is skillfully and perfectly played by Johnny Depp. Wood’s movies included Plan Nine From Outer Space, and Glenn And Glenda. Martin Landau won an Oscar playing Wood favorite Bela Lugosi. This movie is filled with campy delights and rides along on the oblivious optimism of Wood.
Sleepy Hollow (1999) owes little to the Washington Irving tale but lots to Mr. Burton’s penchant for making strange but effective movies. Johnny Depp (yes, him again) is a New York detective sent to Sleepy Hollow to catch a headless horseman who is killing the residents. If you like creepy and scary, this is for you!
Remember those hokey paintings that were popular in the 50's and 60's featuring children with enormous eyes? Okay, maybe you’re too young to remember them. Well, anyway, Big Eyes (2014) is the more-or-less true story of the shy female artist who painted them, how she was victimized by her controlling husband, and what finally happened. Amy Adams is splendid as the artist and Christopher Waltz convincingly slimy as her husband.
Be on the lookout for Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, an upcoming Burton outing that sounds just right for his resume’.
Less effective Tim Burton outings include Beetlejuice (1988), the first two Batman movies, Mars Attacks! (1996), and a doggy remake of Planet of the Apes (2001). All these are graded Miss It If You Can. All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming. All are for grown-ups, and all are weird!
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