BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS?
Has the Motion Picture Academy ever tripped over its projector in the Best Supporting Actress category? Oh yeah.
The most recent example, and one of the worst, was in 2005 when Rachel Weisz won for The Constant Gardener. Nothing wrong with her performance, but it isn’t even close to the bright naivete of Amy Adams in Junebug or Catherine Keener’s brilliant portrayal of author Harper Lee in Capote. The latter two are also far better movies, not that that should be an Award consideration. (Or should it?)
The year before (2004) saw Cate Blanchett win the Oscar for her admittedly excellent portrayal of Katherine Hepburn in Martin Scorcese’s Aviator. I don’t have a big problem with that, but my vote would go to the luminous Virginia Madsden, whose performance in the quirky comedy Sideways lifts the whole film to a higher level. Her monologue about wine makes even teetotalers consider giving it a try.
In 2000, Marcia Gay Harden won the Award as the long-suffering wife of painter Jackson Pollock (well played by Ed Harris). But I think the voters overlooked a far superior piece of work by Judi Dench as a diabetic chocaholic in Chocolat. This is quite an interesting film in which newcomer candy store owner Juliette Binoche somehow seems to be able to provide every person in town with the exact thing they need.
Mira Sorvino is quite good in Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite (1995). But the clear winner that year, to me at least, is Joan Allen in Nixon. Shoot, she is Pat Nixon in this difficult, biased and altogether wonderful fiction about a doomed administration. Nobody ever accused director Oliver Stone of being fair and balanced!
I yield to no one in my admiration for the iconic Helen Hayes, one of the finest actresses ever. Ms. Hayes made over 100 films, won a truckload of awards, and deserved to. But in 1971, I don’t think she should have won for the dreadful Airport. She carries what little water there is here, but this is perhaps one of those make-up awards. She had won once before, but that was in 1932, and I think the Academy just decided to give her another one while she was still around to enjoy it. (Actually, she lived another 22 years). Overlooked was Sally Kellerman, whose character (Hot Lips Hoolihan) became a legend, in Robert Altman’s classic M*A*S*H. And hot on her heels would be Karen Black, with a great performance in a very tough part in another classic, Five Easy Pieces.
All of the films in this column are available on DVD and for streaming. All are for mature audiences.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
MORE GOOD FILMS YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF
Part 3
Here’s another batch of films from the vault you may never have heard of but which were really enjoyed by Mr. Movie. (Hey, that’s me!)
In 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) Anne Bancroft is an American college professor who over the years corresponds with British bookstore owner Anthony Hopkins. It is, as they say, based on a true story. The sprightly discussion by mail between the two characters includes such diverse topics as John Donne, Yorkshire pudding, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the coronation of Elizabeth II. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but catch this little sleeper and you won’t be sorry.
Every Little Step (2009) is a documentary about the casting of the 2006 revival of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. 3,000 dancers showed up for the audition! The film weaves the stories of many of the participants in both the original play and the revival, together with some five-star dancing. Even if you don’t like Broadway musicals (shame on you!) you will enjoy the stories of the lives of these talented people.
In America (2007) is as timely as today’s headlines. A very complex Irish family lands in a Hell’s Kitchen tenement. Their struggles and their triumphs closely follow each other. Samantha Morton was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Christy, the chirpy never-give-up mother. Also nominated was Djimon Hounsou for his role as a somewhat menacing resident of the family’s building. Though neither won, they were really good and both went on to become very much in demand.
Invictus (2009) is based on the true story of how Nelson Mandela (played here by Morgan Freeman) convinced the black South African people to support the white world-class soccer team, the Springboks. Their captain is played by Matt Damon. The team’s visit to the prison that housed Mr. Mandela for most of his 27 years of confinement is sobering but uplifting for them and us. I knew almost nothing about rugby, but really enjoyed the action and picked up the rules fairly quickly.
The Magic Box (1951) stars British legend Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, the inventor of the movie camera. This charming story follows his triumphs and tragedies in getting financing for his invention and in his development of the camera. There is a scene where he excitedly brings in a policeman off the street to show him a short movie he has made in Hyde Park that is just so much fun! There are cameos from lots of famous British stars including Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier.
All of the films in this post are available on DVD and for streaming. And all are fine for all audiences, factoring in the boredom quotient for littlies.
Part 3
Here’s another batch of films from the vault you may never have heard of but which were really enjoyed by Mr. Movie. (Hey, that’s me!)
In 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) Anne Bancroft is an American college professor who over the years corresponds with British bookstore owner Anthony Hopkins. It is, as they say, based on a true story. The sprightly discussion by mail between the two characters includes such diverse topics as John Donne, Yorkshire pudding, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the coronation of Elizabeth II. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but catch this little sleeper and you won’t be sorry.
Every Little Step (2009) is a documentary about the casting of the 2006 revival of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. 3,000 dancers showed up for the audition! The film weaves the stories of many of the participants in both the original play and the revival, together with some five-star dancing. Even if you don’t like Broadway musicals (shame on you!) you will enjoy the stories of the lives of these talented people.
In America (2007) is as timely as today’s headlines. A very complex Irish family lands in a Hell’s Kitchen tenement. Their struggles and their triumphs closely follow each other. Samantha Morton was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Christy, the chirpy never-give-up mother. Also nominated was Djimon Hounsou for his role as a somewhat menacing resident of the family’s building. Though neither won, they were really good and both went on to become very much in demand.
Invictus (2009) is based on the true story of how Nelson Mandela (played here by Morgan Freeman) convinced the black South African people to support the white world-class soccer team, the Springboks. Their captain is played by Matt Damon. The team’s visit to the prison that housed Mr. Mandela for most of his 27 years of confinement is sobering but uplifting for them and us. I knew almost nothing about rugby, but really enjoyed the action and picked up the rules fairly quickly.
The Magic Box (1951) stars British legend Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, the inventor of the movie camera. This charming story follows his triumphs and tragedies in getting financing for his invention and in his development of the camera. There is a scene where he excitedly brings in a policeman off the street to show him a short movie he has made in Hyde Park that is just so much fun! There are cameos from lots of famous British stars including Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier.
All of the films in this post are available on DVD and for streaming. And all are fine for all audiences, factoring in the boredom quotient for littlies.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
MIYAZKI’S LAST (OR FIRST) HURRAH
JAPANESE ANIME
Movie fan, this just might be your lucky day! Many people are not familiar with the Japanese form of animation called Anime. I knew nothing about it until Spirited Away won the Oscar as best animated feature in 2002.
The finest practitioner of the art is Hayao Miyazaki. He is now 75 and has said he’s retiring. He personally writes, directs and produces each of his screenplays. Every frame of every movie is hand drawn. The lush beauty and exacting detail is simply amazing! There just isn’t anything remotely like it. And to top it off, these are wonderful stories.
Just recently, Studio Ghibli released for the first time in America the first of their features, Only Yesterday (1991). Taeko, a young woman with a good job in Tokyo, decides to spend the summer on her grandmother’s farm. The main crop is saffron, and the story of how it is grown and harvested is fascinating in itself. While working on the farm Taeko has memorable flashbacks to “my fifth grade child.” The ending is a real upper, and the drawing is just marvelous.
Castle In The Sky (1986) is a magical floating island called Laputa. It is sought by our heroine Sheeta and her intrepid sidekick Payu. Unfortunately, it is also the target of vicious (but extremely dull-witted) pirates, and of the military. The spaceships and gardens and the resolution of the story are all quite wonderful.
In My Neighbor Totoro (1988) sisters Satsuki and Mei have just moved with their father (their mother is ill and in the hospital) to their new house near an enchanted forest. The film features two amazing creatures: the Cat Bus, with eight legs for wheels and glowing eyes for headlights, and Totoro, a huge nondescript forest creature who is charmingly protective of all little people. The girls cope with their new home, their new friends and their mom’s illness amid scenes of eye-popping beauty.
The title character in Kiki’s Delivery Service (1998) is a 13-year-old witch just
starting out. In this world witches aren’t bad. Kiki blends her budding talents (including, of course, flying!) into the perfect business- a delivery service!
A young prince sets out to discover what’s wrong in the forest, why men and nature can no longer peacefully co-exist. On his travels, he meets and befriends Princess Mononoke (1999) a spirited girl raised by wolves. He slays an incredible forest beast with fur of live snakes. They battle the evil foundry workers, who will stop at nothing less than totally destroying nature.
Chichiro and her parents are on their way to their new home when they encounter a strange and quiet amusement park. The parents are turned into pigs and disappear. They have been Spirited Away (2002) to a magical city. Their brave little daughter has all sorts of adventures and meets all sorts of creatures in attempting to reunite with her folks.
As a bonus, I’ll throw in When Marnie Was There (2014), a wonderful film that may be Studio Ghibli’s last. Mr. Miyasaki was not involved in this one, but it is nonetheless absolutely fine.
Now, all of these films have plenty of dramatic tension, but none is really scary like a slasher movie. Any child who can handle fairy tales will be fine. All other ages will enjoy them tremendously. And all are available on DVD and for streaming.
JAPANESE ANIME
Movie fan, this just might be your lucky day! Many people are not familiar with the Japanese form of animation called Anime. I knew nothing about it until Spirited Away won the Oscar as best animated feature in 2002.
The finest practitioner of the art is Hayao Miyazaki. He is now 75 and has said he’s retiring. He personally writes, directs and produces each of his screenplays. Every frame of every movie is hand drawn. The lush beauty and exacting detail is simply amazing! There just isn’t anything remotely like it. And to top it off, these are wonderful stories.
Just recently, Studio Ghibli released for the first time in America the first of their features, Only Yesterday (1991). Taeko, a young woman with a good job in Tokyo, decides to spend the summer on her grandmother’s farm. The main crop is saffron, and the story of how it is grown and harvested is fascinating in itself. While working on the farm Taeko has memorable flashbacks to “my fifth grade child.” The ending is a real upper, and the drawing is just marvelous.
Castle In The Sky (1986) is a magical floating island called Laputa. It is sought by our heroine Sheeta and her intrepid sidekick Payu. Unfortunately, it is also the target of vicious (but extremely dull-witted) pirates, and of the military. The spaceships and gardens and the resolution of the story are all quite wonderful.
In My Neighbor Totoro (1988) sisters Satsuki and Mei have just moved with their father (their mother is ill and in the hospital) to their new house near an enchanted forest. The film features two amazing creatures: the Cat Bus, with eight legs for wheels and glowing eyes for headlights, and Totoro, a huge nondescript forest creature who is charmingly protective of all little people. The girls cope with their new home, their new friends and their mom’s illness amid scenes of eye-popping beauty.
The title character in Kiki’s Delivery Service (1998) is a 13-year-old witch just
starting out. In this world witches aren’t bad. Kiki blends her budding talents (including, of course, flying!) into the perfect business- a delivery service!
A young prince sets out to discover what’s wrong in the forest, why men and nature can no longer peacefully co-exist. On his travels, he meets and befriends Princess Mononoke (1999) a spirited girl raised by wolves. He slays an incredible forest beast with fur of live snakes. They battle the evil foundry workers, who will stop at nothing less than totally destroying nature.
Chichiro and her parents are on their way to their new home when they encounter a strange and quiet amusement park. The parents are turned into pigs and disappear. They have been Spirited Away (2002) to a magical city. Their brave little daughter has all sorts of adventures and meets all sorts of creatures in attempting to reunite with her folks.
As a bonus, I’ll throw in When Marnie Was There (2014), a wonderful film that may be Studio Ghibli’s last. Mr. Miyasaki was not involved in this one, but it is nonetheless absolutely fine.
Now, all of these films have plenty of dramatic tension, but none is really scary like a slasher movie. Any child who can handle fairy tales will be fine. All other ages will enjoy them tremendously. And all are available on DVD and for streaming.
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