Category: movies

I Surrender

There has been an outbreak of listomania amongst the bloggers I read. (Not to be confused with Lisztomania, starring Roger Daltry. I have resisted thus far, yet I find my resolve pretty much shot.

The Top 10 films in 10 categories that the AFI put out in a special last month which I have recorded but not watched; this week for sure.
* means I saw.

Animation
*1. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, 1937 – haven’t seen in years
*2. Pinocchio, 1940 – haven’t seen in even longer; those Disney movies used to get re-released every seven years when I was growing it, it seemed, so it was probably 1961
*3. Bambi, 1942 – Ditto, but 1963. Scared the heck out of me.
*4. The Lion King, 1994 – I liked it fine.
*5. Fantasia, 1940 – Actually own on VHS, own the soundtrack. There are slow spots, but the good stuff is really great.
* 6. Toy Story, 1995 – like a lot, though I like its successor much better
7. Beauty And The Beast, 1991 – have I actually seen this all the way through? I’ve seen so many segments.
*8. Shrek, 2001 – I like it, and I own it on VHS – it was a gift – but I’d put any of the Pixar films I’ve seen ahead of it, which is all of them save for Cars and WALL-E.
*9. Cinderella, 1950 – but not since 1964
*10. Finding Nemo, 2003 – interestingly, there are chase scenes that terrified my daughter last Christmas when we were at a party, like Bambi freaked me out.
Most egregious omission. The Iron Giant should most definitely be here.

Fantasy
*1. The Wizard Of Oz, 1939 – one of my all-time favorites.
*2. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, 2001 – I think I’m just not a fantasy guy. Never read the books – I got about 50 pages into The Hobbit – and after seeing this movie, never saw the other two. I know “Horrors!”
*3. It’s A Wonderful Life, 1946 – stretches the meaning of the category, I suppose. Actively avoided until my wife nagged me to see it; much better than I would have thought.
*4. King Kong, 1933 – need to see again.
*5. Miracle on 34th Street, 1947 – ditto.
*6. Field Of Dreams, 1989 – was skimming someone’s list and complained that this wasn’t on the sports list. Probably my favorite sports film, now that I think of it.
7. Harvey, 1950 – would see scenes on TV.
*8. Groundhog Day, 1993 – Top 5 film, irrespective of genre. Own on VHS.
9. The Thief Of Baghdad, 1924
*10. Big, 1988 – has great scenes; I have it on VHS, so sometime, I’ll have to see if it holds up.
Most egregious omission: The Princess Bride

Science Fiction
*1. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 – I’ll admit it; I don’t quite “get” it.
*2. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 1977 – everyone says, probably correctly, that Empire Strikes Back is better, but this is the blueprint; Top 25 movie, probably Top 10 for me.
*3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, 1982 – Dare I say this? I HATED the end of this movie, and I liked it until then. Maybe I was having a bad day.
*4. A Clockwork Orange, 1971 – Horrified me. Own, love the soundtrack, though.
*5. The Day The Earth Stood Still, 1951 – need to see again.
6. Blade Runner, 1982 – probably should see.
*7. Alien, 1979 – it was good for what it was. Never saw the sequels.
*8. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991 – I’ve seen on commercial TV, which distorts the watching process tremendously.
*9. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, 1956 – prefer to the 1978 remake.
*10. Back To The Future, 1985 – seen so many times on TV, practically know by heart.

Sports
*1. Raging Bull, 1980 – as I noted here, the DVD extras helped me appreciate it more. Still, it’s a film at arm’s length.
*2. Rocky, 1976 – saw this in a Charlotte, NC movie theater with my mother. Liked it more than i thought I would.
*3. The Pride Of The Yankees, 1942 – sob. It’s been years, though.
*4. Hoosiers, 1986 – saw on video this century. Liked it.
*5. Bull Durham, 1988 – great choice.
*6. The Hustler, 1961 – it’s been years.
7. Caddyshack, 1980 – did I see this? Again, one sees clips and scenes, but possibly not the whole thing.
*8. Breaking Away, 1979 – I liked this a lot at the time but wonder if it aged well.
9. National Velvet, 1944 – seen scenes.
*10. Jerry Maguire, 1996 – liked well enough.
Most egregious omission: A League of Their Own,

Western
1. The Searchers, 1956 – haven’t seen.
*2. High Noon, 1952 – good in the genre.
3. Shane, 1953 – know I’ve seen the ending.
4. Unforgiven, 1992 – this is when Eastwood started becoming a filmmaker.
5. Red River, 1948 – nope.
6. The Wild Bunch, 1969 – studiously avoided Peckinpah at the time.
7. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, 1969 – great affection for this film.
8. McCabe And Mrs. Miller, 1971 – Tom the Dog has me wanting to see this one.
9. Stagecoach, 1939
10. Cat Ballou, 1965

Gangster
Not really my genre.
*1. The Godfather, 1972
*2. Goodfellas, 1990
3. The Godfather Part II, 1974
4. White Heat, 1949
5. Bonnie And Clyde, 1967
6. Scarface: The Shame Of The Nation, 1932
7. Pulp Fiction, 1994 – if it weren’t so darn funny, my wife wouldn’t have gotten through it. Own the soundtrack.
8. The Public Enemy, 1931
9. Little Caesar, 1931
10. Scarface, 1983

Mystery
1. Vertigo, 1958
*2. Chinatown, 1974 -saw it, did not love it.
*3. Rear Window, 1954 – saw in a theatrical re-release. LOVE it.
4. Laura, 1944
5. The Third Man, 1949
6. The Maltese Falcon, 1941
7. North By Northwest, 1959
8. Blue Velvet, 1986
9. Dial M For Murder, 1954
*10. The Usual Suspects, 1995 – I suspect this has not aged well.
Seems I’ve seen scenes of 6, 7, and 9.

Romantic Comedies
*1. City Lights, 1931 – sweet.
*2. Annie Hall, 1977 – my linchpin film. Seen four times in the theater. Own on VHS.
3. It Happened One Night, 1934
*4. Roman Holiday, 1953 – saw on TV not so long ago, enjoyed.
*5. The Philadelphia Story, 1940 – saw on commercial TV and enjoyed it anyway.
*6. When Harry Met Sally…, 1989 – liked, didn’t love and haven’t seen since (well, except that scene…)
*7. Adam’s Rib, 1949 – TV film; seemed enjoyable when I saw it years ago
*8. Moonstruck, 1987 – that I remember it as well as I do over 20 years later speaks well of it.
*9. Harold And Maude, 1971 – need to see again.
*10. Sleepless In Seattle, 1993 – it was OK

Courtroom Drama
I’m a sucker for these, including TV shows (The Defenders, Judd fore the defense, the lawyers’ segment of the Bold Ones, and, of course, Perry Mason)
*1. To Kill A Mockingbird, 1962 – saw again last summer Stellar.
*2. 12 Angry Men, 1957 – only a tad dated, and the core message holds. Own on DVD.
*3. Kramer Vs. Kramer, 1979 does this age well?
*4. The Verdict, 1982 – I loved Newman in this.
*5. A Few Good Men, 1992 – except for the courtroom scenes, this is fading from memory
6. Witness For The Prosecution, 1957
7. Anatomy of a Murder, 1959
8. In Cold Blood, 1967
9. A Cry In The Dark, 1988
10. Judgment At Nuremberg, 1961

Epic
1. Lawrence of Arabia, 1962
*2. Ben-Hur, 1959 – saw on commercial TV, which I suspect doesn’t do it justice. Still had some exciting bits.
3. Schindler’s List, 1993 – yes, this is an epic. Saw once, talked about it for longer than it ran, will never see again, but glad I saw it and think that anyone who claims to love film should.
4. Gone With The Wind, 1939 – can’t, I just can’t. And I’ve actually tried.
5. Spartacus, 1960 – bits and pieces.
*6. Titanic, 1997 – don’t hate it.
7. All Quiet On The Western Front, 1930
8. Saving Private Ryan, 1998
*9. Reds, 1981 – this was SO long, it had an intermission. Should have stopped with the first half.
*10. The Ten Commandments, 1956 – hysterically funny.

ROG

ROG

Tragically hip


I was playing my one Tragically Hip album for Canada Day – Tragically Hip being a Canadian band – when it hit me: there seems to be a number of Americans who seem to have ascribed to the dominion to the north powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal countries. They seem to think of Canada as just like the United States, only not on steroids. Yet – and it has been proven in poll after poll after poll – Americans don’t know jacksquat about about Canada.

Quick, Americans: how many provinces and territories are there in Canada?
OK, Canadians, how many states are there in the United States? OK, the flag design DOES make that a bit easy.

Americans: Who’s the current elected head of government in Canada? What do you call the elected head of the government in Canada?
Canadians: What do you call the…OK, Canadians, put down your hands.

Lessee. Americans: in terms of size, area not population, where does Canada rank in the world? Bonus question: where does the United States rank?
Canadians: Same questions.

Americans: Mame the two houses of the Canadian legislature.
Canadians: Name the two…oh, never mind.

Americans: Name the two largest cities in Canada, and the capital.
Canadians: Help me find fairer questions.

My point is that some Americans have seemed to have romanticized Canada with having any real sense of the place.

There is, however, one thing to be said for considering moving to Canada. when the global warming really hits – as though it hasn’t already? – and the maple stops flowing in New York and Vermont because it doesn’t get cold enough for long enough, I suspect the provinces at least will be quite temperate.

Top Baby Names in Canada vs. the US.

Background Note: Canada from the US State Department.

Don’t recall the source, but it suggested that when dealing with US Customs agents and they ask you how long you’ll be in Canada, answer as though you know, even if you don’t. Otherwise, you’ll appear suspicious. Siounds right.

This site notes that there are 13 states that border Canada; I had forgotten states whose international borders are actually in the middle of the Great Lakes (Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania).
***
I’m not a big fan of Canadian-born singer Sarah McLachlan, but I love this scene from Toy Story 2:

And it’s equally affecting in Portuguese.

ROG

ROG

MOVIE REVIEWS: Defending Your Life, ID4, Andromeda Strain

Movies I’ve seen recently, two on DVD, one recorded on the DVR.

Defending Your Life (1991), lent to me by a co-worker, is an Albert Brooks movie, by which I mean he directs, writes, and stars in a film that’s about what happens after one dies, a vaguely familiar version of one’s earthly existence. But everyone gets to see the highlights and lowlights of their past and have to explain their actions. Brooks’ character meets and falls for another of the recently deceased, played by Meryl Streep. It’s a comedy, but it did not have many big laughs for me. Still, I liked it, as I found it quite thought-provoking.
There is a movie trailer included but DON’T watch it until after you see the film, as it essentially REVEALS THE ENDING.
***
Independence Day: One of my co-workers lent this to me on VHS. Another co-worker, seeing that I had the tape, brought me the DVD of the film. Apparently lots of people really liked this film, as it was a big hit in the summer of 1996.
I will say that in the July 2 segment, things got blowed up real good. But I never got all that invested in the characters – well, maybe Randy Quaid’s drunken alleged former alien captive. I was watching the movie for a number of minutes when I had to look at the package; Will Smith IS in this, isn’t he? Yup, billed first, no less.
All the electronic alien encounters was done better in Contact, the meeting of the First Lady with another character stretch credulity, and the President would have been tackled by the Secret Service before getting into the plane. I didn’t hate it. More like indifference.

Whereas I hated, hated the A&E remake of The Andromeda Strain. I never saw the 1971 theatrical release. It featured Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order), Christa Miller (Drew Carey, Scrubs), Daniel Dae Kim (Lost), Ricky Schroeder (NYPD Blue, 24 – yes, he’s back to his Silver Spoons name) and Viola Davis (L&O: SVU) as scientists that are trying to find the reason a town all but died, making all who initially didn’t die suicidal or homicidal. TV Guide gave a “jeer” to Eric McCormack’s (Will & Grace) wooden performance as a drug-adled reporter, and rightly so. The mutation of the strain seemed almost random. Still,, I watched the second half of this four-hour mess, hoping for the payoff. Instead, it just went stoopid, especially in the last hour. I’m loath to provide spoilers, but suffice to say that: the family drama involving one of the scientists went nowhere; one romantic liaison had no chemistry, while another was highly implausible; the fate of one scientist went totally unexplained, a rescue mission contradicted the movie’s own internal logic; another rescue was utterly laughable; the death of one character was unexplained; and worse, the big reveal left me saying, WTF?! Awful, just awful. It’s available on DVD, but I implore you: DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS. DO NOT WATCH THIS.
ROG

ROG

Roger Answers Your Questions, Gay Prof and Scott

Gay Prof offers:
My question: Do you have any theories about the best way to keep John McCain out of the White House?

I do, but unfortunately it’s illegal and probably immoral. Wait, there’s probably some ageist crack I could make, but I won’t.
Look, I don’t know why people vote against their own interests, except that they naively by into a bill of goods. The economic boom that we used to be in was helping the John McCains of the country a lot more than you and me. Literally, the rich get richer, with golden parachutes for CEOs of failing companies. I thought Charlie Gibson on ABC News asked George Stephanopoulos an odd question last week: with Barack backing out of public financing, was it “fair” for Barack to have so much more money vs. McCain. I laughed so hard I almost hurt myself again. The GOP has had a lot more $$ at its disposal for decades, and Obama’s money is coming mostly from the common people. Is it fair that the government tut-tut homeowners for getting into financial situations that government policies encouraged? I know this doesn’t answer the question, but I’m stumped to find out how is John McCain the ANSWER to any of our current woes.

Generous Scott adds: I don’t care if you don’t answer any of mine, but I certainly hope you can answer Gayprof’s and it be something that we can truly do to make it happen.
Well, I did answer GP’s, FWIW. And now I’ll answer yours:

1. Who do you think will play in the World Series this year, and who will win it?

One team will be a new team, i.e., one we haven’t seen much of before. I think before the season I picked the Cubs, so I’ll stick with them. Not so incidentally, I’m hoping to see them play in Wrigley for the very first time in September. I thought that Cleveland and Detroit would do better, but alas. So, I’m going with Tampa; it’ll probably be Boston, but I’ve bored with Boston sports teams (except the Celtics, who I picked to win in seven.) It’s been 100 years. don’t the Cubs get to win every CENTURY?

2. What do you think has been the best (so far) movie adaptation based on a comic book?

Superman. No, Spider-Man. Wait, I liked Spider-Man 2 more than the first one. I didn’t see the last Batman or the upcoming one, but saw several others – not those. I did like Iron Man, but not the first Fantastic Four.

3. What are you top five movies?

Always impossible. Annie Hall’s on there, and probably Groundhog Day. The others are so fluid, like my favorite songs list or even favorite album. It might include Casablanca, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Field of Dreams, The Iron Giant, Rear Window, the original Star Wars (“episode 4” – feh), Toy Story 2, West Side Story (which isn’t a great movie, but the music and choreography hold), The Wizard of Oz, Young Frankenstein, and about a dozen movies I’ve either forgotten or are of the genres named (Empire Strikes Back, Toy Story); it could be any of the Pixar films I’ve seen, e.g.

4. If Obama loses the Presidential election, do you think it will hurt race relations and the fight against racism, or do you think that his nomination was already a move in the right direction and that a loss won’t set it back?

Yes.

Oh, you want more.

One of those ongoing myths was that Barack Obama was embraced nationally by black folks out of the shoot. Look at any poll that came out in December 2007, and Obama’s losing big time to Hillary Clinton with black voters. Part of it, ironically was that he wasn’t considered black enough. (And Hillary Clinton was?) But when he won Iowa, black voters gave him another look, and he’s been winning the black vote handily ever since, starting in South Carolina. (Which is why Bill Clinton’s correct observation that Jesse Jackson won South Carolina irritated so many people; it wasn’t just that he was black, it was that he was a black that, since the white folks in Iowa liked him, actually had a chance to win.) All the things he’s endured since from what I think is a media obsession with Rev. Wright to the sniping at Michelle Obama to the Muslim thing – regularly, at least 7% of the electorate believes that Barack HUSSEIN Obama is Muslim (not that should matter if he were) has made him more attractive to many blacks, and probably to white liberals as well. Here’s what often happens in with black folks when one of their own is put upon; they become more loyal, recognizing the institutional racism involved.

So, if he loses, most older blacks will see it as the same-o same-o. I’m not sure the paradigm holds for younger blacks, especially those who identify as biracial. It’s not that they don’t see racism, it’s that they may see Barack’s nomination, to use a football metaphor, as field position. Maybe Barack doesn’t score the touchdown this time, but it makes someone else’s chances better the next time. Maybe.

5. What album in your collection would probably most surprise your friends?

That would almost certainly be my one Toby Keith album. Not crazy about his politics, but I got it it for free at a convention in Nashville, and I rather liked a couple songs, especially “Let’s Talk About Me.”
***
Someone, I wish I could remember who, said about Robert Mugabe: If Zimbabwe had oil, we would have invaded by now.

ROG

ROG

MOVIE REVIEW: Iron Man


I went to see Iron Man at the Madison Theater in Albany. There were 4 people in the theater – four – on a Sunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend. This breaks the previous record for second smallest audience I’ve been in for a film. Worse than the six people with whom I saw both “Raising Arizona” and “Requiem for a Dream.” The only movie I ever attended with the worst audience numerically was when I sat alone for a matinee showing of “Spy Kids.”

Just before I saw the movie, I was playing an album by Pete Townsend called “Iron Man”, which was the basis for the animated film “The Iron Giant”, which I love. There’s a character in the “Iron Man” movie that looks not unlike a malevolent “Iron Giant.” But you’ll have to see that for yourself.

This movie theater showed six previews. One was for the new Indy Jones movie, which had opened nationally, but not yet at that location; maybe I’ll see it. The M. Night Shyamalan movie “The Happening”; the title reminds me of a dorky Supremes song that did better on the pop charts than it did the R&B charts; since I still have the Andromeda Strain to watch on the DVR, taped from A&E, I think I’ll pass. I’m mortified to note that I laughed, just a little, at the preview for that Adam Sandler Zotan film. There was the Incredible Hulk; I never saw the Ang Lee version from five years back, but this looks interesting. There was The Dark Knight, which seemed to feature the Joker more than Bruce Wayne and Batman combined; I might catch it. The sixth movie I forget; Prine Caspian? The Stranger? I don’t remember.

I should note that Iron Man was never my favorite Marvel character. I came to superhero comics in the early 1970s, but I went back to know well the origins of characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and the Hulk. Yet I wasn’t that involved in Iron Man’s, save for its Viet Nam roots. Actually, I’ve just reread it, and it’s just not all that interesting. (What IS interesting is that it took Marvel to Volume 20 to put Shell-Head in a Marvel Masterworks, whereas characters such as Spidey and even the Silver Surfer had already warranted multiple volumes.) So, I always felt Iron Man was a minor player, even though he was an Avenger.

That said, all the reviews I’ve seen talk about how great Robert Downey, Jr. is as the snarky Tony Stark, and I have to agree. As a long-time comic book reader, I thought the character was dull, and boring, and a tad bit fascistic. So to see Tony Stark evolve in the movie was a gratifying, rewarding evolution. The change from Southeast Asia to Afghanistan was well-conceived. Jeff Bridges, Gwynneth Paltrow, and Terence Howard were all very strong in their roles. One movie reviewer has suggested that there was more sexual tension between Downey’s Stark character and Paltrow’s Pepper Potts than you might find in your recent lame movie romances such as “27 Dresses” or “Made of Honor.” Not having seen either of those films, I can’t speak to the comparison, but there was definitely chemistry there.

Apparently my three compatriots in the theater hadn’t heard about the big reveal at the end of the movie credits, for a couple left as soon as the end credits began, while the other woman departed after the snazzy outro that utilized the music of Black Sabbath. If you somehow haven’t seen the movie yet, just wait for it.

ROG

ROG
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