Movies »Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas

emmet otter's jug band christmasThis is a crazy mixed up word we live in. CGI effects are as common place as the “animal out of his safety zone” Pixar rip offs that feature them, so it's become easy to be immune to their magic, and when done correctly, within a good story, CGI effects can be magical. It was refreshing, then,?to view Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, a thirty year old Jim Henson production which relies on heart over spectacle; strings and puppets over computers.

This story focuses on a widowed mother otter and her son living hand to mouth in a fairly bleak mining town called Frogtown Hollow along a winding river. You see every string and effect as they row their boat, slide down the snowy hills, and sing and dance -?but rather than feeling old and cheap it feels special and more real. (Though it is only fair to say that technically it is still old, and while not cheap, at least on a budget.)

Details are given to each adorable character that made me laugh with delight each time another was introduced. My favorite was Doc Bullfrog with his top hat and brocade – until I met the awesome bad ass rock band The Riverbottom Nightmare Band, made up of a surly bear, a fish, a rat, a snake, and a lizard. Not only do the fivesome look like the kind of puppets that could rough you up, but their song “Nightmare” is really, honestly awesome.?

My only qualm is that the good songs like the Nightmare band jam, the strange one about grandma otter's big bathing suit, and the two sweet jug band songs performed at the talent show are played only once, while the less fun, kind of boring and weepy song mama sings gets played over and over and over…

Most of you might remember this classic from your childhood. I certainly did once it was brought to my attention again by my coworker friend Ben, who waltzed up to me with an 8X10 printout of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band and said “Remember this?” I am in his debt for reminding me of such an odd and diverting little movie that is perfect viewing this holiday season.

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Posted on December 24, 2007

Movies »Jonestown The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

jonestown life and death of peoples templeIn a pivotal scene in Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple, there is a sign prominently hanging in the background of the Jonestown pavilion that reads “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It's a well worn phrase, but particularly pertinent to this chilling story.

My peers and I, most born the year the massacre happened or after, grew up knowing of Jonestown as an odd historical footnote at most, we all knew about the kool-aid, but very little about what actually happened. This ignorance of the past makes well made documentaries like this, which originally aired on PBS' American Experience so important. Particularly as the news becomes more and more focused on the inane and trivial. If you saw the amount of coverage “legitimate” news gave to an unflattering photo of Jennifer Love Hewitt's totally normal but not perfect behind, you know exactly what I mean. Couldn't anyone on staff take the hours spent to berate a woman for her body and research our country's grand history – shouldn't they do what this documentary does, and remind people today of what has come before?

Perhaps people are longing for this kind of information and that is why this film was seen by so many people, it's one of the few out on DVD which almost all of my friends have rented. Other friends saw it on TV, and it seems like there might be two edits out there, so be sure to watch all the deleted scenes on the website.

The story itself is a harrowing, deeply disturbing one, made even more upsetting by the fact that it all began with such good intentions. Jim Jones grew up poor and an outsider, so his preachings always taught acceptance, and, in a particularly unfriendly time, insisted on integration and an interracial congregation. Even today, seeing the photographs of the peoples temple seems more progressive than we have managed to come in the past few decades.

Sadly the honorable notions of equality and dignity were in the hands of a mad man. The scope of the destruction, especially in the faces of the men and women personally affected is massive. The last half hour of the film I was barely breathing. The quick escalation into mayhem is, remarkably, largely caught on film and as a result you can clearly imagine being present, a frightful feeling indeed.

Despite a huge amount of footage, access, and witnesses, though, you still can't help from wanting more, that one piece of information that will explain the why. Unfortunately, the 909 people who might have supplied more information, can't.

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Posted on December 17, 2007

Movies »The Reflecting Skin

the reflecting skinIn a world where every episode of Full House and a film where a hot dog becomes lodged in a woman's cleavage (albeit, an amazing film where a hot dog becomes lodged in a woman's cleavage) can make it to DVD, you have to just scratch you head and wonder why a gem like The Reflecting Skin is still collecting dust in video stores across the country wearing the sticker “be kind, rewind”.

It is unlikely you'll see anything quite like this stylized American Gothic tale that plays like the love child of David Lynch, David Cronenberg and Andrew Wyeth. Imagine Wyeth's isolated farm houses and sweeping fields of wheat; now visualize cruel children, child molesting serial killers, desperately lonely suicidal people, and dead fetuses hiding among them.

The film's photographed with cinematic grace by Dick Pope and written and directed by Briton Philip Ridley, who has only done one other feature film, The Passion Of Darkly Noon, which also stars Viggo Mortensen and also deals with the ignorance of people who fear women as monsters. He is also a playwright, a novelist, and just about anything else you can imagine.

The Reflecting Skin takes place in Idaho during the second world war. A young boy and his friends, all played with an “aw-shucks” stiltedness that ends up being oddly effective, pass the time by blowing up frogs, destroying property, and making up tales of vampires. When true tragedy strikes them and their families, the unguided children grow more and more confused by the ruthless outside world of adults.

The rest of the cast, including Lindsay Duncan, the wraith like beauty of Mike Leigh film Grown Ups (a big favorite) and HBO's Rome, and Viggo Mortensen (looking only slightly less handsome for lack of age) are exceptional. He proves that his intense dedication to his characters has always been impressive and that he was never afraid to go nude. He breathes life and complexity into a potentially wooden character and he does it with a hairy chest (sigh).

It had been several years since I had seen this movie, but it stayed with me like a recurring dream. Even with its minor flaws of over scoring and heavy handedness, both of which seem to work despite themselves, it is worth seeking out – particularly for fans of Gothic southern or dark independent film making.

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Posted on December 10, 2007

Movies »Conan the Barbarian

The all-time greatest sword and sorcery epic, CtB is a masterpiece. It was a seminal film when I was kid and, compared to other VHS tapes we regularly rented (the animated Hobbit starring Orson Bean; Willow; Red Sonja; Ladyhawke; The Emerald Forest), this is the one that, like The Shining, whenever it appears on TV (thanks, Ted Turner) I've got little choice but to watch whatever scene is currently unfolding through to the next commercial for the Summer's biggest drama, The Closer. There's something grown up about this film that always appealed to me a kid, it's not remotely family friendly and, think what you may, I'm going to go ahead and call it sophisticated.

While it's certainly true that not every thing works all the time (James Earl Jones's crazy wig comes to mind), there's so much here that is awesome: the score, by Basil Poledouris, who just passed away; the part where Conan builds the traps that kill Thorgrim; the part where Conan's father discusses the riddle of steel; the part where they break into the tower of Set and rob it, killing that huge snake along the way; the part where he throws the vampire into the fireplace; Thulsa Doom's logo: 'Two Snakes Like This'; the part where Conan is crucified on the Tree of Woe; the part where they break into the crazy orgy in their awesome camouflage makeup; and the quotes! This is one of the two movies I've ever felt semi-comfortable quoting aloud (the other one is the Big Lebowski). If the environment is dorky dude-oriented enough and someone happens to ask, 'What is best in life?' how can I not reply, 'To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women'. (This is actually attributed to Ghengis Khan, who knew?)

It's never been easy for me to forget that that bit of paraphrase was penned by two of Hollywood's heaviest hitters, '80s/early '90s edition: Milius himself (screenwriter of Apocalypse Now; etc) and Oliver Stone. And while I've always considered the sparse dialogue and action heavy plotting pretty masterfully handled, it seems that nerd controversy continues to boil. Robert E. Howard, Conan's tragic creator (depicted, I'm sure, with much restraint and subtlety by Adam West acting school alumni Vincent D'Onofrio in The Whole Wide World), envisioned the Cimmerian a bit tougher than the governor of California's portrayal. Conan breaks into tears numerous times in the film, once in front of one of the greatest B-movie scene chewers of all time, Ingmar Bergman player Max von Sydow. According to Howard scholars, Conan would never break down like that — maybe those Howard scholars should watch Through a Glass Darkly some cold Winter night. Also, I guess, much of the narrative is either inconsistently borrowed from multiple Howardian sources, or is completely invented by Stone and Milius.

Our good friend Ashleigh's dad, Mr. Carraway, has written a splendid review of this film that I think goes a long way in justifying its greatness while other customer reviews focus on the campy qualities, but I don't think this movie is cheesy at all. I don't think Mommy Dearest is campy either, in fact I consider it a sober look celebrity parenting, so keep that in mind.

Also, the commentary on the Collector's edition DVD is priceless. Arnold is astounded by the quality of the film, which it almost seems like he's never seen before, and wonders aloud why a second one was never made. Then someone reminds him of the sequel he starred in, the dismal Conan the Destroyer.

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Posted on December 3, 2007

Movies »The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

John le Carre reinvented the spy genre with his 1963 novel on which this film was based. Its view of Western agents, not as infallible defenders of all that is right and moral, but as flawed and cruel agents – willing to make the same heartless sacrifices as their Eastern counter parts was shocking at the time, and still is today.

Don't expect any heroes in this film and definitely don't hold your breath for a happy ending. The novel has been named the best spy novel of all time by Publisher's Weekly, and the film adaptation of this gritty, intelligent triple agent story is beautifully and faithfully captured in crisp black in white by director Martin Ritt.

The flawless Richard Burton plays the flawed secret agent Alec Leamas who becomes involved in an elaborate plot of double crossing, triple crossing, lies and danger. To give away too much of the plot would be a disservice to those who haven't seen it. I will say that when the final scenes unravel and secrets are revealed you will be left speechless and stunned.

Our favorite le Carre character, George Smiley (see Call for the Dead, Tinker,Tailor,Soldier, Spy, and Smiley's People – all of which I have raved about repeatedly) plays a small but integral role in this film.

I know I have had a hard time convincing people my age to give anything by le Carre a try, but this classic film is a perfect place for any sceptic to start.

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Posted on November 26, 2007

Movies »No Country for Old Men

no country for old menAfter the abysmal one where George Clooney gets divorced and the Lady Killers remake, which I couldn't even bring myself to see, I never thought the day would come when I could again get excited about a new Coen Brothers' movie.

That day has come.

Wow.

Not only is No Country for Old Men, their faithful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel, one of the greatest in their repertoire, it stands as one of, if not THE very best new movies I've seen in quite a long time.

Built on sparse dialog, no music but the Texas wind, some of the most stunning and refined cinematography ever by Roger Deakins (there are two simple television reflection shots that are noteworthy in themselves), and superb acting by Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Woody Harrelson, and a genuinely menacing Javier Bardem as one scary villain – No Country is honestly a near perfect film.

Josh Brolin, of Goonies fame, plays Llewellyn Moss, a trailer park nobody who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes the money left behind. And hell follows with him.

A tense, terse and intelligent chase movie at heart, the film is also concerned with the evils of this world; a dangerous world that has always been and always will be dangerous. A world where men must choose the codes they live by until the day they die or, as in Tommy Lee Jones' case,?are lucky to grow old enough to become desperately world weary. It's as nihilistic as it is just plain cool.

It's a manly movie, perhaps the toughest and manliest I've ever seen with loads of violence and action, but just as much quite contemplation.

I can't wait for you to see it.

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Posted on November 19, 2007

Movies »Inland Empire (Worst Movie)

inland empireNow, I know there are worse films out there than Inland Empire (from what I've been told, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With is one of them). But I very much doubt there's a film made with as much care, that took so long to craft and was anticipated so much but failed so miserably to become the amazing film the first forty minutes promise.

Usually I'd never consider a film with a great section this long to be a complete waste of time but, when it runs three hours long, those precious cohesive and entertaining moments feel further and further away and you almost resent for them being in the film at all since they only remind you of a movie you'd rather be watching.

I figured many would disagree with me, but I was shocked by just how many: “Dazzling and bewildering”; “Extraordinary, savagely uncompromised”; “David Lynch has never been more fearless or more fearsome”, the critics have exclaimed. Forgive me for saying so, but I wish sometimes Lynch would be constrained by conventions. His work always seems to make me happiest when it tells a story (see Mulholland Drive, the first season of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet).

Inland Empire begins to tell a story, then veers into what felt like days of Laura Dern walking and running down halls doing this with her face. There are rabbit masks (so 2001) and a team of American Apparel girls who are meant to be creepy, but only made me feel like I had stumbled into a bad ladies night at The Charleston. Then there's the ending with the women singing about black power. What does it all mean? I didn't care.

For chunks of the film I simply closed my eyes, not falling asleep mind you, just choosing to relieve myself from one of the most frustrating experiences of my life.

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Posted on November 12, 2007

Movies »Brick (Best Movie)

brick moviePick for the week of April 9th
Here's what I said then:

I wanted to like this movie but didn't expect I would. In all ways this simply should not have worked; a noir with tough lingo and twisting plots set in modern day high school. But maybe the two concepts aren't as at odds as you'd think. I mean, what time in anyone's life is more full of intrigue, drama, brutality, infidelity, and obsession than high school? And what better genre to encompass all those elements? It still doesn't explain how writer/director Rian Johnson was able to pull this movie off.

It manages the delicate balance between taking itself too seriously and being a tongue in cheek joke with grace. There are certainly times I laughed, the scene with the VP “I'll see you at the Parent teacher conference” is one of them. But the laughs are intentional and so are the thrills. Like most noirs, the most exciting part is the middle when you are never sure who is who or what is what and this is no exception. The film moves through its twists and turns at a breakneck speed, giving you no time to notice that by all definition, this should be an absurd, unintentionally laughable, failed experiment. But it is not.

In fact, this is the most satisfying new movie I have seen in a very long time and I absolutely love it. Plus it's great to see Lukas Haas again, especially as a bad guy that reads Tolkien.

Runners Up:
Derby (1971)
2001 (1968)
Metropolitan (1990)
Honeymoon Killers (1970)
Life is Sweet (1990)

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Posted on November 5, 2007

Movies »The Slumber Party Massacre

Slumber Party MassacreSlumber Party Massacre was a big deal in my life. I can remember exactly when I watched it (at a slumber party!) and I can remember every scene and every death. Of course, at the time I knew nothing about its feminist activist writer Rita Mae Brown and her intention that the movie play as a parody of the slasher genre. I noticed nothing odd about the cheesy acting and lines like “Your tits are growing” and “Are you gonna eat the dead guy's pizza?”. The fact that the supposed eighteen years olds were played by thirty year olds was not a problem for me, since at that age, eighteen did seem really old and mature.

All I knew was that I was scared. And that I was hooked on horror movies.

It's a classic of its kind and plays like the ultimate slasher pic, most likely to the dismay of Brown. There are exposed breasts within the first few minutes, two people are killed right off the bat, one in a locker room chase scene that had me particularly bothered as a young girl. There's plenty of time spent on classic slasher movie shots and very little time spent on character development (unless you count the part where one girl got French kissed and didn't like it as character development). Best of all there is absolutely no delving into the bad guy's past to see how he became a monster.

Why is it lately that every filmmaker lately whether telling the story of Hannibal Lecter or The Grinch thinks we need to see someone's inner demons and sympathetic past to be scared of them? This film should prove the opposite. The audience knows right away who the killer is, nothing is known about him except he killed five people before and he only speaks towards the end in a really genuinely eerie feat of acting. Michael Villella, who appears in very little else, is worth noting as the phallic 24″ drill-wielding maniac.

The Slumber Party series includes two sequels, each one different in tone, but also worth renting, especially for the coming holiday. All are out of print currently, but can be bought used from Amazon.

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Posted on October 29, 2007

Movies »The Virgin Suicides

Virgin SuicidesSofia Coppola may not always get the credit for her work whether due to ire about her nepotistic success or for legitimate reasons (I've heard rumors she had very little to do with the making of this film), but the fact is that I really enjoy The Virgin Suicides, her first feature film.

She gained a much bigger following for the more personal hit Lost in Translation (which she lost some of with Marie Antoinette) but, despite a few off notes (like the scene involving a crying girl talking about rat poison which plays like something out of a crappy But I'm a Cheerleader caliber indie), Virgin Suicides is an ethereal, beautiful and heart breaking film that has been a long time favorite of mine and is extremely rewatchable.

The art direction, by Jasna Stefanovic, and the cinematography, by Ed Lachman, are basically impeccable, evoking nostalgia and presenting the world of young girls that the novel, by Jeffrey Eugenides (which the film is based on), painted with words so expertly. All the acting is pitch perfect, poor Josh Hartnett has never equaled his turn as Trip Fontaine and Kathleen Turner and James Woods are, not surprisingly, beyond criticism in their roles.

The plot, which revolves around the lives and angst of five lovely teens, is better to experience as the bewitching movie unfolds if you haven't already seen or read it, so I will keep mum. All you need to know is that is a fascinating, wistful and haunting film with a soundtrack as hip as its director and her friends.

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Posted on October 22, 2007