I dare you to see this movie

Okay, people, who is going to go see BASIC INSTINCT 2? Who really wants to see this? After hearing so much about the naked thing, is anyone interested? Frankly, a little Sharon Stone goes a long way, and there's been a ton of hype about this.

But, then again, just when we say there aren't any roles for women in their 40s...along comes Sharon.

I think I'm just lamenting the lack of movies I want to see right now. The pandering to the Academy has gotten worse every year, but I find it especially bad right now. The only movies I am interested in seeing are INSIDE MAN and THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. Other than that, these are the other choices at my local theater: BI2, ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN, SLITHER, V FOR VENDETTA, STAY ALIVE, and FAILURE TO LAUNCH. Oh, and around the corner, we have LARRY THE CABLE GUY and SHE'S THE MAN.

And back to Netflix I go...

JUST IN TIME FOR OPENING DAY...

We watched PRIDE OF THE YANKEES this weekend. What a great way to gear up for the start of baseball season. How come we had never seen this film? Not quite sure...Anyway, Gary Cooper is magnificent and TALL as Lou Gehrig. The film actually begins with a peculiar note from the director, about how Lou's story should serve as an inspiration to all patriotic Americans. There seemed to be some kind of war propaganda angle that I didn't quite understand.

Anyway, it was interesting to see a biopic from another era, considering the glut of these kinds of stories in current cinema. I found myself imagining how Lou's story would be told today, and I couldn't help but imagine that a contemporary filmmaker would feel compelled to focus more on Lou's tragic and grizzly physical demise. This film, though, spends most of its time just showing the audience what a great, pure, hard-working guy Lou was. No doubt there's a bit of revisionist history in there, as there is destined to be in all biopics, but it seemed like a very different way to tell a "true story" than we see today.

WHO SAYS REAL ESTATE CAN'T BE FUNNY?

Jet lag drove Mikey to bed before six last night, and I was still pretty much in a daze while I surfed around trying to find something to help hold my interest through the evening. I came across MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE on PBS. It's a Cary Grant/Myrna Loy picture from 1948 about a New York couple who are tired of being packed into a "cramped" Manhattan apartment (complete with a maid) and decide to relocate to Connecticut. I didn't make it all the way til the end (a few sips of red wine and I started nodding off around 9 PM), but the hour-plus I saw was quite charming, and I guess having my sister in NYC and hearing alot of conversations about real estate, moving to the suburbs, etc. made me feel like things really haven't changed that much in the past 60 years. Anyway, it's a sweet film. I always enjoy Cary Grant in comedic mode, and Myrna Loy is inspired - great to see her outside of Nick and Nora turf.

Happy ending with a touch of creepy

(spoiler of creepy stuff)

I recently saw ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. And I've been debating whether or not to write about it. I was kind of creeped out.

Written, directed, and starring the blue-eyed Miranda July, it's a story of an artist, Christine, who makes ends meet by driving the elderly around ("Eldercab"). She meets Richard (an excellent John Hawkes - wish I had HBO so I could watch Deadwood), a shoe salesman and single parent of two boys, and attempts to will him to her throughout the film. A good story, well told, and with good character development.

However, what totally creeped me out was the "strong sexual content involving children" (as described by the rating police). I felt a bit like I was watching Law and Order: SVU - between the two girls experimenting on the older brother (I'll leave it at that) and the younger brother being pursued by a potential Internet predator - it was a bit much.

Perhaps that was July's point - and I know it's reality, and I also realize that the two storylines with the boys underline the theme of intimacy / yearning for intimacy in the film - but the creepiness of these storylines almost eclipsed my enjoyment in watching the film. Did it have to be that extreme? Is it okay to depict children in these over sexualized situations? Am I being too prudish, or was this the point? (Note - I was also creeped out when I saw the ICE STORM for the same reason - perhaps it's me.)

Nevertheless, there are a lot of funny moments in this movie, and it does have a happy ending. I swear. And hurrah for a female director, something that we've discussed on this blog before.

How to be a good houseguest

(some spoilers, but not really)

I think we're all a bit in a post-oscar slump, and with so few movies out that look watchable (I mean, SHE'S THE MAN? I don't think so), I am turning to dvds.

I missed seeing JUNEBUG when it was in theaters...did any of you see it? I rented it a week or so ago and as a result, I think I am in love with Amy Adams. Or, rather, the character of Ashley. I think I liked everything about this movie. The casting, the story, the soundtrack (original music composed by Yo La Tengo), the characters, the everything. This is not a frenzied love - the movie is quiet and sort of sneaks up on you, and then BAM you love it.

And what great female characters! The triumvirate of Madeleine, Peg, and Ashley was fascinating to me - I really felt like the women took center stage in this movie. Madeleine's travails in trying to be a good houseguest, sort of trying to be a good daughter-in-law (and sister-in-law), but most of all trying to get a painting of a beloved artist kept the plot moving along. But Amy Adams as Ashley stole the show with her (somehow not annoying) optimistic, almost childlike outlook as a pregnant woman married to the non-favorite son in the family, Johnny.

Loved the use of silence throughout the movie (because that's how life is - I don't have swelling music that corresponds to the mundane parts of my life). Especially loved the hilarious, and at times poignant, incorporation of religion/belief in God in the film - George's hymn singing revealed to Madeleine, everyone (including the autistic, foulmouthed artist) bowing their heads during Ashley's prayer at the shower.

In the end, I loved this film because it captured the unevenness of getting to know others, the feeling of being an alien, and the human need for love and to be loved.

Plus, you get to see Embeth Davidtz and Alessandro Nivola get it on, and that's kind of freaky, considering they played brother and sister in MANSFIELD PARK. Yes, I remember facts like that.

The Jewel in the Crown

Last night, while recovering from a brutal business trip to Atlanta, I finished watching the final three episodes of THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN. Wow. I am in complete awe of this 14-part production from 1984.

Set during the end of WWII/end of English rule in India, the story begins with a forbidden love affair between an Englishwoman (Daphne Manners) and an Indian man (Hari Kumar, who was educated in England but who has returned to India), a subsequent false accusation of rape by the demonic Captain Ronald Merrick, and evolves into a story that splinters into a thousand pieces, with many characters and storylines.

The brilliance of this story is that there is no central character. The screen is shared equally. Also, this is not your usual english period drama fare - hell no. Topics addressed include: rape, abortion, infidelity, mental illness, sadomasochism, prisoner abuse, torture, interracial love, depression, homosexuality (then illegal) - you name it. All framed against the backdrop of class, race, religion in a nation colonized by Britain for 300 years. At the end, when India is about to claim her independence, the violence that erupts is especially relevant today. It was heartbreaking.

The story ebbs and flows, and scenes unfold slowly, like the shimmering heat you can see in each gorgeous shot - but if you are willing to hang on, you will be justly rewarded. All scenes were filmed on location in either India or England.

Many great performances from little-known actors - and a few famous ones. This is the series that shot Charles Dance to fame, as Guy Perron, and he's the good guy (no Tulkinghorn in sight). Lots of great women and roles for women in this - especially Peggy Ashcroft and Geraldine James. Tim Piggot-Smith as Merrick is so evil, I don't know how he was able to play the role. But the one I loved the best was Art Malik as Hari Kumar. His story haunts you.

For those of you with Netflix, get it on your list today!

TIME TO MOVE ON

I think it's time we all put this year's Oscar fiasco behind us and move bravely forward. I think we can all agree that an otherwise impressive season of film was marred by a horrible awards show and some questionable victories.

We finally watched LAYER CAKE a few nights ago, in anticipation of our upcoming trip to Amsterdam. While that city wasn't featured quite as prominently as I'd hope, I did find the film to be zippy, engaging and shot in an extremely cool visual style. And how about that Daniel Craig? Great face, great voice. Thoughts on him as the new Bond? I'd just recently seen him in MUNICH, where he affected a South African accent and wore some extremely tight pants. He's impressive.

And what a bonus: GUPPY from BLEAK HOUSE was featured in a small but important role.

OSCAR NIGHT OPEN THREAD

I really hope that you folks in LA have internet access during the show, and that Kate will be able to join us from her hotel room in Atlanta. Otherwise Mike and I will just be passing the laptop back and forth all night, which I guess is a little weird.

I don't anticipate a whole lot of surprises tonight, award-wise (a BROKEBACK BACKLASH? Methinks not.) But I am excited to see Jon Stewart strut his stuff on such a big stage. He's such a smart, classy, dorky-sexy guy. I hope he has a huge night and that the Hollywood types give him the warm reception he deserves.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?

Caught the tail end of the Independent Spirit Awards on IFC this evening, and we were struck by the fact that so many of the same films have been nominated for Oscars and "Indies" this year. Is this is a trend, or just a strange convergence of factors particular to this year? In previous years, it seems as though the ISA's were a place for people who would not otherwise be recognized with awards from the Academy to get their due. But now there seems to be all this crossover. Tellingly, THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, which apparently received more ISA nominations than any other film, was shut out in all six categories in which it was nominated. So it's worth asking, is the "Independent Spirit" taking over Hollywood, or is Hollywood sucking the life out of truly independent film?

Just a little food for thought. See you all tomorrow for the BIG SHOW!

DREAM BIG

As the flu continues to run its course, I am racking up the movies. We finally watched HUSTLE & FLOW last night, which has been sitting on top of our TV for about three weeks now. I know Dort already posted about this one, but I wanted to just add my 2 cents. The main thing I will say about this film is, TERRENCE HOWARD IS A FREAKING FORCE OF NATURE. He is totally mesmerizing. He should be a huge, huge star. I found the film to be light-hearted and toe-tapping one minute, and incredibly moving and heavy the next. I particularly liked the scene where DJay and Nola are listening to Key record the music in the church. But it didn't feel herky-jerky; it felt authentic. I really enjoyed the supporting cast, too, and the groovy beats really helped lift my flu-battered spirits.

SHE HELPS GIRLS OUT

Being home with the flu isn't good for much, but yesterday I was lucky enough to catch VERA DRAKE on one of the myriad Encore channels. I have long admired Mike Leigh's gritty stories of working-class England, and this one has the added punch of a great moral argument at its center, and a killer performance from Imelda Staunton. The story struck me as particularly sinister, though, given the current climate around abortion in this country, and it made me think about what sort of horrors might be visited upon women in the event that Roe really is over-turned.

But I digress. Didn't mean to wax political there. The bottom line is, this is another triumph from Leigh, whose actors clearly love him. Why else would Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner - the stars of Leigh's lush and moving TOPSY-TURVY - show up for tiny cameos in VERA DRAKE? This film, like all of Leigh's, is packed with wonderful performances from actors you might never see anywhere else. Check it out.