"Yeah, there was a David O. Russell movie that I really wanted to make with Vince Vaughn that ended up falling apart. I mean, I don't get depressed, it's just the nature of the game. I do wish that there were more female-driven movies out there, ones that I felt were really about something, that I felt like were interesting and funny and not just "watered-down funny" or something that's funny to eight year-old girls -- something that's funny to women. And those are really hard to find, unfortunately. It's the nature of the business in that they want to make the movies that will get the most audience and if you're a woman then they want you to bring in the young girls and young girls need a PG rating. It's hard to make a really funny comedy with a PG rating."
As we noted last week in a piece that suggests Dimension films might be trying to It's only one man's opinion obviously, but the Esquire scribe calls the film, "the most important film of the year" (or at least that's the headline of the piece; sadly, it's not online yet), and more importantly that's gloriously high plaudits for a film that previously received mediocre, test-screening audience thoughts and then was delayed, and then pushed back almost a year (all of which did not bode well).
Throughout the piece, Chiarella suggest "The Road," is pretty amazing, but hard to watch. "You won't want to see this one twice," he writes. But it sounds like the good kind of, "you don't want to see twice," as in, so emotionally flooring, you'll be spent and won't want to go there again. To us that sounds rather incredible and pretty much what we want."You should see it for the simplest reasons: because it is a good story, not because it may be important. Not because it is unforgettable, unyielding. Not because it horrifies. Not because the score is creepily spiritual. Not because it is littered with small lines of dialogue you will remember later. Not because it contains warnings against our own demise. All of that is so. Don't see it just because you loved the book. The movie stands alone. Go see it because it's two small people set against the backdrop of the world undone. A story without guarantees. In every moment -- even the last one -- you'll want to know what happens next, even if you can hardly stand to look. Because The Road is a story about the persistence of love between a father and son, and in that way, it's more like a remake of 'The Godfather' than some echo of 'I Am Legend.' "We're not going to type up the entire piece, sorry, but you need to track it down and read it. The scene describing Viggo Mortensen and his son played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, quietly, sadly, staring at a burning forest, sounds utterly devastating. "Sounds awful, because it goddamned well is. But it's awful, too as in full of awe. Awful as you cannot avert your gaze. It's hard not to watch a fire," he writes. Jesus, sign us up right frigging' now.
It sounds like a difficult, almost emotionally disturbing film to get through, but lord, go for broke, that's what we want! Do not change hair on its head Weinsteins, please! (read what Chiarella said when we asked him why they were trying to possibly sell a trailer that was what he called, potentially, "misleading").Ok, so now we're like excited as school boys. We wrote the Esquire writer and asked what he thought of its chances for Oscar. He admitted he was no expert, but here's his thoughts nonetheless (find the piece, read it).
"On the Oscar thing-- I don't know. I never like the movies that win the Oscar. Never. So I just decided not to try to predict [ed. this is probably a good thing to determine his taste]. I would say this. The movie made me feel sick at heart, and I think about it still, all these months later. Frankly I have my doubts that enough people will embrace it-- it is hard to watch. I think it is the kind of movie people might walk out on, the kind of movie people will argue about. I don't know if that's the kind of movie that can win best picture. I think Viggo might get a 'nod' and the guy from 'The Wire,' who's on screen for about three minutes as the thief, well, he stole the show [Micheal K. Williams]. I would bet on Robert Duvall as supporting actor if I wanted to win money. Short answer: if it were up to me, it would be on the short list at very least."Dear lord, grant us a trailer soon. "The Road" opens in theaters October 16.
The Playlist - The sweet spot where movies and music meet.
"Doubt" is a movie entirely about its title. One of the more interesting things about it is that it takes place within the confines of a strict Catholic grade school- the kind where God reigns over all and nobody ever has any sort of doubts about that. But doubts about other things, as far as that's concerned, come in to play throughout this fascinating film, which to note was written and performed on stage well before it will currently make its way to theatres. The movie version is scripted and directed by John Patrick Shanley, who originally wrote it for the stage. His competence behind the lens is somewhat subpar in that the film at times can come off as being poorly directed, however his visceral script and starkly amazing performances by the actors involved contribute towards making this one of the finest small movies of 2008. Starring Meryl Streep (in what's sure to be an Oscar-nominated role) as a very old school head nun and principal of this Catholic grade school Sister Aloycious, she goes up against the young and more liberal pastor Fr. Flynn played to perfection by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The main conflict emerges when Sister James (Amy Adams) approaches Sister Aloycious worried that Fr. Flynn may be having an inappropriate relationship with the school's first black student, Donald Miller. In what might've been most appropriate a few years ago when the pedophile priest scandal was rocking the Catholic Church, this is a thrilling film pitting priest vs. nun in an all-out verbal smackdown. Did Fr. Flynn sexually abuse that male student? The answer, my friends, is in the title of the movie.
Now this is a fun movie. You've got Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hit men hiding out in small (but historic) town of Bruges after their last job went horribly wrong. They've been told by their boss (Ralph Fiennes) to stay in Bruges until things cool down and he figures out what to do with them. And so there's sightseeing involved. They get involved with some people filming a movie in town, there's a fair amount of drinking and drugs involved, not to mention a whole lot of humor. There's also a fair share of drama, as Farrell's character is a bit mentally unstable after what happened on their last job. You also get a great performance from Ralph Fiennes, who does a mob boss with pitch perfection. Farrell and Gleeson are the best things about this movie though, and there's been some buzz around both of them as awards season rolls around. Also of note is the hilarious performance by Jordan Prentice as a tiny actor who has some odd ideas about race relations. Overall this is a great movie that brings a smile to my face every time I watch (and re-watch) it.
Movies that take place within a finite space are usually pretty interesting to me, but especially if those movies are thrillers. For example, "Psycho" is set (almost) entirely at the Bates Motel. "Reservoir Dogs" can be confined to a warehouse if you think about it. And "Transsiberian" is confined to a train. Emily Mortimer and Woody Harrelson play a couple taking the longest train ride in the world from China to Moscow. While confined to this train and that confined space, they become cabin mates and friends with another couple. But do these new friends have much more dangerous and evil plans? The game quickly turns to deception, and there are enough twists and turns to keep your head spinning as you try to figure out exactly who's good, who's bad and who's playing whom. Ben Kingsley has a more minor role as a Russian police officer who may have his own motives while on board the train. This movie is thrilling, action-packed and unpredictable. Just the sort of thriller that I love, and I hope you will too.
Woody Allen has been on a hit-and-miss streak of late, what with "Match Point" garnering him much critical acclaim but "Melinda and Melinda" and "Scoop" getting next-to-nothing in terms of good critical buzz. No matter how Allen's films seem to turn out though, he's certainly not making as much box office money as he used to during the "Annie Hall" days. Thankfully, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" seems to be another one of Woody's good ones. Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall play two friends on vacation together who get mixed up in the lives of a tortured painted played by Javier Bardem and his insane ex-wife played by Penelope Cruz. The four principal characters wind up involved in some sort of love triangle (or square, if you will) and there's some romance, comedy and drama to go along with it. Amid all this, the fifth character in this film is Barcelona itself, which is highlighted in most every scene and is clearly beautiful. As tourists in a foreign land, Johansson and Hall make for perfect characters who are naturally curious about the land they're visiting and equally so the concepts of love, commitment and sex. Important lessons are learned and there's great performances by all- but especially Hall and Cruz. This is definitely worth having a look at when it arrives on DVD if you've yet to see it.
Richard Jenkins is an interesting actor. Chances are you've seen him in a movie before, but you probably didn't notice. He does a lot of supporting roles and isn't the sort of guy you'd pick for top billing in a movie. Yet he does just that in the fascinating and heartbreaking story behind "The Visitor." As a professor with two separate residences in separate cities, Jenkins returns to his apartment one night after spending a lot of time at his other place to discover that there are two people living in his place with his stuff. Turns out they've got nowhere else to go, so he lets them stay, as they don't seem like criminals. In fact, they're criminals of a different sort- illegal aliens. Yes, as Jenkins warms up to these people and learns a bit about playing the bongo drums with them, they're suddenly thrown into some immigration drama. It becomes a dramatic look at our current immigration system and how illegals are dealt with. It's a great story made that much greater by the powerful performance that Jenkins puts together. Current speculation is good that he'll be nominated for some acting awards quite soon (note: he was just nominated for Best Actor at the Spirit Awards). "The Visitor" is a heartfelt drama with a message that applies very much in this day and age. Check it out if that's your sort of thing.
Oh, the buzz may have been all about "Twilight" this past fall, but there's another vampire tale that hit theatres around the same time which was far superior. "Let the Right One In" is a Swedish (foreign language) film that plays off nearly the reverse "Twilight" situation. A young boy who doesn't fit in at school and is bullied regularly falls in love with an odd girl who gives him strength and confidence. The problem is that she happens to be a vampire. And so lies the conflict between humans and vampires and issues of feasting on human blood and whether or not love can exist between two kids with completely different lifestyles. This is a movie that's exceptionally well made with strong performances and a plot that's not your conventional vampire tale. It is easily the most engaging and dark film I've seen in 2008.
"Happy-Go-Lucky" can be considered one inspiring film that cherishes the virtues of optimism. The movie follows the character of Polly, a grade school teacher in England who just happens to be an extremely happy and optimistic person (sometimes to the annoyance of others). What the film mainly chronicles is how a whole lot of increasingly bad things happen to her, yet she remains upbeat and strong through it all. The world is crashing down around her, people try and get her angry or upset, but she always looks at the upside. As Polly, Sally Hawkins gives one of the finest performances of the year (which will more than likely be nominated for many acting awards), and the script by the legendary Mike Leigh closes in on perfection. I left this movie feeling a whole lot better about myself and the world around me, and the characters in this movie are inspiring examples. "Happy-Go-Lucky" is one of the more entertaining and morally sound tales of this past year, and it's a shame more people haven't gotten around to seeing it. If it's playing in your area, you may want to make a special trip to see it.
Anne Hathaway, how I love thee. Not in that pseudo family fare she's been in ("The Princess Diaries" are of no use to me), but when she does a more adult-oriented performance it's typically quite good (see: "Brokeback Mountain"). In "Rachel Getting Married," Hathaway plays Kym, a recovering drug addict who gets out of rehab to attend her sister Rachel's wedding. It's being held at their family house, so everybody's busy doing last minute preparations. Over the course of the film, and done in a very crude documentary style, you meet and learn bits about other members of the family, including Kym's father, stepmother, mother and of course Rachel and her fiancee, played by none other than TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe. Yes, this movie is dramatic and depressing at times, but you've also got to remember that it's about a wedding, so there's happy times too. The performances in this are second-to-none, and an overreaching sense of humanity is what I gained from this movie. It feels remarkably true to life, and pulls no punches. You may not come away with the same impression that I did (some friends I recommended it to got angry at me for it afterwards), but at the very least I hope you'll agree with me that Anne Hathaway deserves a Best Actress Oscar for this movie.
I saw "Slumdog Millionaire" on Thanksgiving, just days after the deadly terror attacks on Mumbai. "Slumdog Millionaire," if you didn't know, is set entirely in India. It features an all-Indian cast of unknowns (to Americans, at least) but is directed by Danny Boyle, a British filmmaker responsible for movies like "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later." As such, much of the movie is in English, though there's also a good deal of subtitles. The plot revolves around a young man in the "hot seat" on India's version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" about to win a million dollars (U.S. currency). He's quickly accused of cheating, as he's merely a poor young boy who grew up on the streets of India and should not know the answers to all these challenging questions. The film chronicles the stories in his life that explain how he arrived at each answer on the show. And it's a relentlessly fascinating tale of growing up in the slums of India with the squalor and crime and murder, but it also has plenty of love and humor to go around. It's a heartwrenching and emotionally satisfying film that's left many an audience cheering. Chances are it'll also snag a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Get on board with this movie now because you'll certainly be hearing lots about it in the coming months.
I will watch any movie that Charlie Kaufman writes no matter who writes or directs it. The man, quite simply, is the finest screenwriter of this current generation. He's responsible for writing such scripts as "Being John Malkovitch," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Adaptation," and has established himself as one of the most original minds working in Hollywood today. Kaufman returns this year with his very first directorial effort, based on a screenplay that he wrote (it was originally supposed to be directed by Spike Jonze, who got bogged down in the current quagmire that is "Where the Wild Things Are"). I can't describe the plot of this movie for you without going into a multi-paragraph explanation, so I won't even try. Instead, I'll just tell you that Phillip Seymour Hoffman stars in this movie about life and its puzzle pieces. As Shakespeare once said, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages." That best describes how to view this movie, but not nearly its plot. This is a brilliant film, though it'll probably take you multiple viewings to even start understanding what's going on. You could call it very David Lynch-ian in nature, which is also probably a turn off for a lot of people. And many of you won't understand or even begin to understand it should you see it more than once. Half the critics felt that way (enough to pan it), but for those that actually do "get" what this movie is all about, I hope it'll have an influence on your life. This could very well be the "Apocalypse Now" of this decade in that it may not be fully appreciated until several years later. I just want to be on record now praising how amazingly good "Synecdoche, New York" really is. Though I've yet to see a number of films left for release in 2008, this remains firmly at the top of my favorites from this past year.
FCM #14 - HALLOWEEN We're BACK baby, and we're killing it. 
FCM #10 - FROM THE MOVIES Turn your cell phones and pagers off, we're headed to the cinema. We've got everything from Superman to Rosemary's Baby represented in this mix. 
FCM #8 - LABOR Most of us really like the work we do. That's how we know eachother, in fact. However, I'm certainly happy it's Friday and I think we all are. 
