E:
I'm a big Hitchcock fan. And in the spirit of full disclosure, G and I saw the Broadway play based on this Hitch moobie. We loved it so much we had to Netflix the DBD.
Hitchcock's filmography can be broken down into three broad phases: English silent moobies, English sound moobies and his Hollywood era. The Hollywood era being the longest and containing his most famous films. The 39 Steps was one of his English sound films.
Made in 1935, it's the story of an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances. At a vaudeville show, he crosses paths with a spy. She asks for his help, he finds her dead in the morning. Now on the run, he has to save himself and stop group of spies from stealing top-secret information.
It's a lot of fun. Especially after seeing the play. I recommend both.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Namesake
E:
I had thought Mira Nair's film would be focused more specifically about a man's identity crisis. But it's about his entire story from beginning to modern day. How his parents met, how he was first born, how he grew up and THEN about his identity crisis.
No real new territory here. It's about Indian roots, we've seen moobies about Indian culture. I think the only cinematic revelation is the fact that Indian women can be selfish bitches too.
It was alright.
I had thought Mira Nair's film would be focused more specifically about a man's identity crisis. But it's about his entire story from beginning to modern day. How his parents met, how he was first born, how he grew up and THEN about his identity crisis.
No real new territory here. It's about Indian roots, we've seen moobies about Indian culture. I think the only cinematic revelation is the fact that Indian women can be selfish bitches too.
It was alright.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Misfits
E:
Marilyn's last film she completed. Clark Gable's last film too. Marilyn was such a wreck on set - late, forgetting her lines, unstable behavior (her marriage to Arthur Miller was coming to its end) - Gable hated working with her. He's quoted as saying, "I'm glad this picture's finished. She damn near gave me a heart attack." Gable died 10 days after filming wrapped.
The moobie centers around a group of people who have very little in common but end up together as a group of friends. Marilyn's Roslyn falls for Gable as a cowboy named Gay (short for Gaylord, no less - interesting how the English language evolves). Together with an older landlady Isabelle and mechanic Guido they meet up with another cowboy Perce. To make some money, the men go out "Mustanging," wrangling horses to sell for slaughter.
The first half of the moobie was actually pretty boring. It seemingly lacked focus and pacing. But the second half is absolutely compelling. Unfortunately, without the first half, the second half would make no sense. If the beginning were better, this one would be a classic.
Marilyn's last film she completed. Clark Gable's last film too. Marilyn was such a wreck on set - late, forgetting her lines, unstable behavior (her marriage to Arthur Miller was coming to its end) - Gable hated working with her. He's quoted as saying, "I'm glad this picture's finished. She damn near gave me a heart attack." Gable died 10 days after filming wrapped.
The moobie centers around a group of people who have very little in common but end up together as a group of friends. Marilyn's Roslyn falls for Gable as a cowboy named Gay (short for Gaylord, no less - interesting how the English language evolves). Together with an older landlady Isabelle and mechanic Guido they meet up with another cowboy Perce. To make some money, the men go out "Mustanging," wrangling horses to sell for slaughter.
The first half of the moobie was actually pretty boring. It seemingly lacked focus and pacing. But the second half is absolutely compelling. Unfortunately, without the first half, the second half would make no sense. If the beginning were better, this one would be a classic.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
He's Just Not That Into You
E:
An ensemble moobie headed by Ginnifer Goodwin of Ed and Big Love fame, it's supposed to be about connections and missed connections in modern dating. But so many of the characters are either nondescript, unsympathetic or downright unlikeable. There's a fair amount of promise in the set-up, but too many characters with nebulous trajectories muddy the overall picture and too many cliches make the others too easy to read.
And, of course in this moobie world they're all interconnected. In a city of more than 600,000 people (it takes place in Baltimore) does anyone expect these few to really be connected by the dots?
An ensemble moobie headed by Ginnifer Goodwin of Ed and Big Love fame, it's supposed to be about connections and missed connections in modern dating. But so many of the characters are either nondescript, unsympathetic or downright unlikeable. There's a fair amount of promise in the set-up, but too many characters with nebulous trajectories muddy the overall picture and too many cliches make the others too easy to read.
And, of course in this moobie world they're all interconnected. In a city of more than 600,000 people (it takes place in Baltimore) does anyone expect these few to really be connected by the dots?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
E:
After swimming in Hollywood in more than 10 small and uncredited roles, 1953 was Marilyn's breakout year. Niagara and this moobie. Still unsure of this contract player, the studio gave her second billing below Jane Russell. But she didn't care. When told she was not the star of the film she replied, "Well whatever I am, I'm still the blonde."
It's a cute film. The girls have great chemistry and apparently got along very well behind the scenes too. Jane Russell is awesome with Howard Hawks' trademark dialogue. Marilyn does alright with it too, but it's her vixen schtick that steals this show as she lays down her patented litmus test of female sexuality for decades to follow.
The "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" showpiece number is pretty amazing. S&M bondage girls tied up in the chandeliers, Marilyn shaking her moneymaker -"Tiffany's! Cartier!" It's priceless.
And Jane Russell getting knocked into the pool is a fun gaffe. We rewound it a few times to watch it in slow motion.
:p
After swimming in Hollywood in more than 10 small and uncredited roles, 1953 was Marilyn's breakout year. Niagara and this moobie. Still unsure of this contract player, the studio gave her second billing below Jane Russell. But she didn't care. When told she was not the star of the film she replied, "Well whatever I am, I'm still the blonde."
It's a cute film. The girls have great chemistry and apparently got along very well behind the scenes too. Jane Russell is awesome with Howard Hawks' trademark dialogue. Marilyn does alright with it too, but it's her vixen schtick that steals this show as she lays down her patented litmus test of female sexuality for decades to follow.
The "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" showpiece number is pretty amazing. S&M bondage girls tied up in the chandeliers, Marilyn shaking her moneymaker -"Tiffany's! Cartier!" It's priceless.
And Jane Russell getting knocked into the pool is a fun gaffe. We rewound it a few times to watch it in slow motion.
:p
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Class
E:
Some of my favorite moobies were Palme d'Or Winners at the Cannes Film Festival: Black Orpheus, The Conversation, Blow-Up, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Dancer in the Dark, Elephant. But in the past few years, the jury hasn't picked so well. Is it the lack of films to choose from? Is it merely a reflection of the ebb and flow of films out there? Every decade has an amazing selection of winners - Black Orpheus won in 1959, even the 80s had The Mission and Wild at Heart. And the 00s started with the brutal Dancer in the Dark.
But The Child - it was ah-ight. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days - it was ah-ight. And The Class - it was ah-ight.
It's about a teacher putting up with the adolescent madness of a room full of punk-ass kids. If you want to endure that for a couple hours - watch this film.
Some of my favorite moobies were Palme d'Or Winners at the Cannes Film Festival: Black Orpheus, The Conversation, Blow-Up, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Dancer in the Dark, Elephant. But in the past few years, the jury hasn't picked so well. Is it the lack of films to choose from? Is it merely a reflection of the ebb and flow of films out there? Every decade has an amazing selection of winners - Black Orpheus won in 1959, even the 80s had The Mission and Wild at Heart. And the 00s started with the brutal Dancer in the Dark.
But The Child - it was ah-ight. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days - it was ah-ight. And The Class - it was ah-ight.
It's about a teacher putting up with the adolescent madness of a room full of punk-ass kids. If you want to endure that for a couple hours - watch this film.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Some Like It Hot
E:
OK. Here's the deal. When it comes down to it, classics tend to be classics because they're really good. Some Like It Hot is really, REALLY good! Marilyn Monroe's second film with one of my all-time favorite directors Billy Wilder (after The Seven Year Itch four years earlier), she really gets to stretch her comedic chops in a film that's filled to the brim with slapstick comedy, great one liners and awesome performances by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Lemmon was nominated for an academy award for this - that''s how good he was. An Oscar nom for a comedy!
The film follows two down-on-their-luck musicians during the depression. After escaping from a mob boss, they pose as women to join an all women's band on the way to perform in Florida. As a side note, much of the Florida resort scenes were shot at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego where I grew up. I saw frames pictures of behind-the-scenes lining the halls years before I ever saw the moobie.
Among the women in the band, they meet the voluptuous singer/ukulele player Kandy Kane (Kowalczyk) played by Monroe to a tee. Curtis' Joe disguised as Josephine takes on yet another disguise to woo Kandy Kane under false pretenses. And Lemmon's Jerry disguised as Daphne takes one for the team and ends up spending some one-on-one time with an old timer to give Joe/Josephine/Junior the opportunity to get Kandy.
Madcap, screwball, slapstick at it's best - this moobie deserves to be on everyone's list.
OK. Here's the deal. When it comes down to it, classics tend to be classics because they're really good. Some Like It Hot is really, REALLY good! Marilyn Monroe's second film with one of my all-time favorite directors Billy Wilder (after The Seven Year Itch four years earlier), she really gets to stretch her comedic chops in a film that's filled to the brim with slapstick comedy, great one liners and awesome performances by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Lemmon was nominated for an academy award for this - that''s how good he was. An Oscar nom for a comedy!
The film follows two down-on-their-luck musicians during the depression. After escaping from a mob boss, they pose as women to join an all women's band on the way to perform in Florida. As a side note, much of the Florida resort scenes were shot at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego where I grew up. I saw frames pictures of behind-the-scenes lining the halls years before I ever saw the moobie.
Among the women in the band, they meet the voluptuous singer/ukulele player Kandy Kane (Kowalczyk) played by Monroe to a tee. Curtis' Joe disguised as Josephine takes on yet another disguise to woo Kandy Kane under false pretenses. And Lemmon's Jerry disguised as Daphne takes one for the team and ends up spending some one-on-one time with an old timer to give Joe/Josephine/Junior the opportunity to get Kandy.
Madcap, screwball, slapstick at it's best - this moobie deserves to be on everyone's list.
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