J. Edgar

My View:  J. Edgar  (2011)  Directed by Clint Eastwood, this film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as longtime head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who, with almost a 50 year reign, was able to stay in power by using a combination of PR, lobby tactics and amassed secrets on the most powerful men in the U.S. government.  Hoover, though, had secrets too:  a controlling mother, a speech impediment, a fetish for women's clothing and a life-long love affair with his second-in-command, Clyde Tolson (played by Armie Hammer).  This is a flawed movie that tries to cover too much ground (get the extra large popcorn because this movie is more than 2:15 in length) and is hampered by a script that seems to want to spell out every little nuance in the plot.  DiCaprio is superb in the role, and his older J. Edgar is almost picture-perfect, but he has to give way too many long speeches. It's almost as if Dustin Lance Black, the screenwriter, doesn't think we, the audience, can figure out a darn thing.  I also found that Armie Hammer, who played Hoover's right-hand man and love interest, was a little lacking in keeping up with DiCaprio's acting skills.  I also think Eastwood has a tendency to stay with a camera shot too long, which makes a long movie seem longer.  There is one reason to see this movie - Naomi Watts who is brilliant as Hoover's long time private secretary and keeper of the secret files. This could have been a much better and faster movie if it had just concentrated on one segment of Hoover's life instead of covering his lifespan.  My rating:  Cable   J. Edgar Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  Take Shelter (2011)  Michael Shannon plays a husband and father who begins seeing things and has a series of apocalyptic visions. His family has a history of mental illness; his mother was diagnosed when she was the age that he is now.  Shannon decides to build a storm shelter to protect his family, a decision that could cost him everything he loves.  This is an Oscar worthy role, and Shannon plays it masterfully by showing the torment and confusion on his face as he tries to decide to give into the visions or fight them.  Jessica Chastain is perfect as his long suffering wife who tries as best she can to comprehend and stand by her husband, even when his behavior becomes baffling.  Though I didn’t like the ending, I was completely impressed by Shannon’s acting abilities, which makes this film worth seeing.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Take Shelter Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time):

#31 Best Film

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)    Errol Flynn is at his charismatic best in the role of Sir Robin of Locksley, a nobleman who defies the Norman authority to bring back the rightful King of England.  Olivia de Havilland is the beautiful Maid Marian, and Basil Rathbone plays one of the greatest screen villains of all time, the dastardly Sir Guy of Gisbourne.  This is a cinematic masterpiece with huge sets and bright, full vibrant costumes that fill the screen with amazing colors.  But, make no mistake, this is Flynn’s movie, and he is incredible in it, as he seemingly has a twinkle in his eye in almost every scene.  This is a film where, after you see it, you’ll say to yourself, “They don't make them like that anymore.”   The Adventures of Robin Hood Info

Forgotten Film:  The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) When I was a kid, my parents wouldn’t let me watch horror movies, so when I became a teen, I relished the late Saturday night horror movies, and this film was one of my favorites.  In this film, doctors are murdered in bizarre ways, and each death represents one of the nine Biblical plagues.  What evolves is that all the doctors had been involved in an unsuccessful operation on a wife of one Dr. Phibes, causing her death.  Now Phibes has risen from the dead to get his revenge.  Vincent Price is the perfect blend of horror and absurd for the role of the mad doctor, and the death devices are so clever in how the deaths are triggered.  This is an enjoyable, campy film and even if you don't love horror flicks, you’ll love this one.  My Rating:  Full Price   The Abominable Dr. Phibes Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)   I felt this was one of the better films of the summer, where Harry, Hermione and the gang are on a mission to defeat Voldemort or die trying.  Daniel Radcliffe shows that he has a future in acting, and it doesn't hurt when your supporting cast is made up of Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter.  This is a satisfying end to the series, and even if you haven't seen the other films, this one stands on its own.  My Rating:  Full Price   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Joyful Noise  Two women fight over the direction of a church choir as it gets ready for annual competition.  The two women are Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton.  There won't be room on the screen for anyone else.   Joyful Noise Website
  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Margin Call:  Helicopter double of Mr. Irons

Flictionary (A Definition of a Film Term) :  Loader:  The loader used to be responsible for the loading of the film into cameras, but now almost all films are shot digitally and there isn't any film.  But the loader is also responsible for handling the clapper, which is a device that is filmed before each take to sync sound and identify what scene is being shot.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  War Horse  Director Steven Spielberg brings to the screen a film about a young man who has an emotional connection to a horse he raised from birth.  The horse is then sold to the army to be used in the trenches of World War I.  Even though the main character is too young to enlist, he heads to France to find and save his horse. This film is sure to be an Oscar contender.   War Horse Website

Until Next Time!

Puss in Boots

My View:  Puss in Boots  (2011)  This Shrek-series spin-off tells the origin of the swashbuckling cat, Puss in Boots.  Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of Puss, a cat who, at an early age, dreamed of fame and glory.  Along the way, we meet his best friend, Humpty Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) and a fellow pick-pocketing cat named, Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek).  Puss and his gang decide to find the legendary magic beans (as in Jack and the Beanstalk) in hopes of getting rich from the Golden Goose.  Their plans, however, go bad when Puss is betrayed by one of his own.  This animated film was made in 3-D, but the film is so dark in appearance, the 3-D effects aren’t always noticed.  The story is long and complicated with a lot of flashbacks - something I think kids will find difficult.  There is very little humor in this film (the first Shrek film had loads of humor), and I quickly tired of the banter/stick of Puss.  I think Puss is just not a strong enough character to lead a picture.  He should have stayed in the shadow of the big green ogre.  My Rating:  Cable   Puss in Boots Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film): Martha Marcy May Marlene  (2011) Elizabeth Olsen (yes, she is the sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) stars in the title role, a women who suddenly shows up on her sister's doorstep after she was missing for two years.  The reunion, though, is difficult and forced as Martha is hiding secrets, and her deception starts tearing apart the sisters.  We discover, in flashbacks, that Martha lived in a cult led by a charismatic man (played by the very creepy John Hawkes).   This is a dark film, and you won’t always be able to decipher reality and what is just happening in Martha's mind.  Olsen is amazing.  Her appearance changes when she exhibits a remarkable range of emotions as the film progresses and she gets pulled deeper and deeper into the cult.   Hawkes is perfect as the cult leader who never uses physical violence to meld his members.  His control is all accomplished with a calm, quiet demeanor that is far scarier.  Olsen is almost certain to get an Oscar nomination in this interesting study of a cult mind.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Martha Marcy May Marlene Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time):  

#31 Worst Film

Staying Alive (1983)  Rocky meets Saturday Night Fever, as Sylvester Stallone directs John Travolta who reprises his role as Tony Manero.   It's five years later, and Tony is no longer dancing on a disco floor…he’s now auditioning on the Broadway stage.  Tony seems to have left behind his Brooklyn-old ways as he now has a steady girlfriend and has toned down the boozing lifestyle.  The old Tony, though, surfaces when he dumps his girlfriend (played by Cynthia Rhodes) to sleep with the play’s lead dancer (Finola Hughes), in an attempt to get a bigger part.  Stallone's handprint is all over the script (he co-wrote it), and the dialogue is so heavy-handed, I was waiting for Tony to say, "yo," at some point.   The dance numbers are horrible and so is the outfit Tony wears onstage - so bad it makes you long for the white suit of his Bee Gee-loving days.   Staying Alive Info

Forgotten Film:  Tom Jones (1963)  This British comedy was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.  Albert Finney plays the title role of the bastard son of a nobleman.  He is in love with a woman (played by the lovely Susannah York) who is too high in social status to ever be able to marry him..  Tom decides to go into the world and find his fortune, and he soon discovers that he has great and unlikely talent for wooing women and getting into trouble.  Finney is incredibly funny and winning charming as he travels from one woman to another.  This film breaks a lot of barriers, using a silent film sequence in the opening, and often the actors look directly into the camera, addressing the audience as if they are part of the gang.  Tom Jones is a funny and whimsical film but also has one of the greatest seduction scenes of all time when Jones and a woman he has just met (played by Joyce Redman) share a meal, one that gets more sensual as they work their way through the menu.  My Rating:  I Would Pay To See it Again   Tom Jones Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Water for Elephants  (2011)  Robert Pattinson (Twilight) plays a veterinarian student at the height of the 1930's depression who suddenly loses his parents in an accident and runs away to join a circus.  Unfortunately, this circus is run by a man (played by Christoph Waltz) who treats his workers like a mafia mob boss by killing people instead of just firing them.  Pattinson can't help but fall in love with the star of the circus (played by Reese Witherspoon), which is bad news and destined for trouble, since she is married to Waltz.  I found that although this film is very lush-looking with intriguing scenery, it's flawed because Pattinson just didn't have the acting chops to keep up with the Oscar-winning Waltz and Witherspoon.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Water for Elephants Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked   Do we really need a third film with these high pitched squirrels?  I think this film will stink, and, add to that, almost everyone in this film is a TV actor/actress with not one A-Lister among them.   Chip-Wrecked Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Puss in Boots:  Whistler

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term)  Location Manager:  The Location Manager is responsible for getting the rights to use locations in films.  This person confirms and negotiates, with the property owner, the licenses and ability to use the property.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Hugo  Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver) directs this 3-D film about a young orphan in 1930's Paris who secretly lives in a train station and is bound and determined to figure out the mysterious almost robot-like contraption his father left him.  Hey, it's Scorsese doing a family film - should be really interesting.   Hugo Website

Until Next Time!

The Rum Diary

My View:  The Rum Diary  (2011)   Based on the book by “Gonzo Journalist” Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Depp plays a failed novelist who moves to Puerto Rico to work at a local newspaper.  The newspaper is staffed by hard-drinking, jaded men, so Depp’s character fits in nicely.  To earn money, Depp begins working for a shady publicist (played by Aaron Eckhart) who is trying to push a land deal.  Depp instantly falls in love with the publicist’s fiancée (played by the stunning Amber Heard) against the advice of his best friend, the newspaper photographer (played by Michael Rispoli).  While I enjoyed Depp’s performance, and this is certainly the best adaptation of a Thompson book, the film is too long (buy the big bag of popcorn - you’re going to need it) and has almost a disjointed feeling to it, as if the filmmakers couldn’t decide if the film was a comedy or a drama.  There are a few very funny scenes, including a couple of amusing car chases, but overall, the film can't match the wit and wisdom of the writer Depp is playing, Hunter S. Thompson.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Rum Diary Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  The Mighty Macs  (2011)  Based on a true story, Carla Gugino (Mr. Popper’s Penguins) plays a recently hired women’s basketball coach at a small, all-woman’s Catholic college. It’s 1971, and the NCCA conducts its first woman’s championship.  Gugino takes on a team who doesn’t even have a gym to practice in and teaches the young women how to win.  While a little smaltzy (the film often goes for the heartstrings when it should back down a little), I highly recommend this film for young girls.  The film’s message to girls:  If you believe in yourself, you can do anything.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Mighty Macs Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time):

#32  Best Film

To Kill A Mockingbird  (1962)   Based on the Harper Lee novel of the same name, this magnificent film is one of the best adaptations ever done.  In his Oscar-winning  role, Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, a widowed father  of two kids, younger sister, Scout, and her older brother, Jem, whom he raises in a small southern town in the 1930’s.  Peck is hired to defend a black man who is accused of raping a white girl.  The film brilliantly captures small town life and the innocence of children, who soon discover their father is a man of great conviction and courage.  Peck gives a profound performance, probably his best role ever, and screenwriter Horton Foote does the impossible - brings to the screen the exact feel and wonder of the book.    To Kill a Mockingbird Info

Forgotten Film:  The Omega Man (1971)  Before Will Smith (I, Robot and I Am Legend) and Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds), there was Charlton Heston, who saved the human race from Apocalyptic times in films such as Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes.  In this film, Heston plays a scientist who is the last human on earth, as the rest of the world has either died from a plague or become a sort of zombie/vampire and part of a cult called, “The Family.”  Heston uses his wit, electricity (the Family is nocturnal and sensitive to light) and a whole lot of guns to battle the bad guys.  Heston overacts in this film, but it’s so much fun when he delivers certain lines such as (right after crashing a car), “There’s never a cop around when you need one.”  This is a perfect film to watch late night, especially during Halloween.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    The Omega Man Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Captain America: The First Avenger   I really liked this film and thought it was one of the better super hero films of the summer.  It tells the origins of Captain America (played by Chris Evens) who goes from a 4-F runt of a man, is injected by the government with some sort of super serum and becomes a fighting machine.  A smashing story-line, rousing special effects and a love interest for the Captain in Hayley Atwell made it a fine setup to next year’s release of Joss Whedon’s, The Avengers.   My Rating: Full Price   Captain America Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Son of No One  Pretty boy, Channing Tatum, stars as a young cop assigned to the neighborhood where he grew up, but there is a secret that could destroy him and his family.  Katie Holmes is in this film - my personal marker that this movie is going to stink.   The Son of No One Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Rum Diary:  Contact Lens Technician

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term)  Sound Mixer:   An audio engineer who works with the Boom Operator.  Sound Mixers are responsible for all recording of sound on the set or on location.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Secret World of Arrietty   Based on the beloved children’s book, The Borrowers, this animated film, from the makers of the Oscar-winning, Spirited Away, tells the story of the Clock family,  a very tiny family who lives in secret in another family’s home.  When the daughter, Arrietty, is discovered by the normal sized boy in the house, the Clocks’ world gets turned upside down.   The Secret World of Arrietty Website

Until Next Time!

Footloose

My View:  Footloose (2011)  A remake of the 1984 film.  Newcomer, Kenny Wormald, stars as a kid from Boston who recently lost his mother to leukemia and goes to live with relatives in Bomont, GA.  He soon discovers that this is no ordinary town.  Bomont banned dancing and loud music three years ago after the tragic deaths of 5 teenagers on their way home from a party.  Wormald encounters the preacher’s daughter, Dancing with the Stars Julianne Hough, whose father is the town’s preacher/councilman, played by Dennis Quaid.  Hough struggles with her acting and makes every scene she is in almost painful to watch.  Miles Teller is fun as the goofy best friend who can't dance, but he doesn't match what Chris Penn delivered in the original.  The surprising thing about this film is it updates the 1984 film, but it keeps several of the songs from the original film, including the title song.  Much of the soundtrack, though, has a strange country twang to it.  The big difference between the original film and this one is while Wormald is a great dancer, he lacks the charisma and star power of Kevin Bacon, the original’s star.  Bacon was able to change the town's mind about the anti-dancing law because he could inspire people to do greater things.  Wormald can only inspire people to do better dance moves.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Footloose Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  Tucker and Dale vs. Evil  (2011):  Tucker and Dale are best friends who are headed to their new vacation cabin (a fixer upper), but there is something you need to know about them:  they are hillbilly rednecks.  A bunch of preppy college kids are headed to the same section of the woods near an isolated lake.  There is one thing that they all find out once they get to their camps…twenty years ago five college students mysteriously disappeared there.  The two groups encounter each other, and the college kids start dying.  The difference between this and other slasher films is this is a comedy, and the deaths are all accidental.   This is a funny film that uses all of the horror stereotypes to play for laughs.  Tyler Labine, who plays Dale (from TV programs Reaper and Mad Love), and  Alan Tudyk (Transformers:  Dark of the Moon), who plays Tucker, are brilliant as the dim-witted  hillbillies who don't quite get why anyone could be afraid of them.  If you are a fan of films like Shaun of the Dead and Attack the Block, you should see this very enjoyable movie.  My Rating:  Full Price   Tucker and Dale vs. Evil Website

The 50 (a Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#32 Worst Film

The Master of Disguise (2002)  Dana Carvey stars in what is considered one of the worst comedies of the decade and may be one of the worst comedies of all time.  Carvey plays Pistachio, an Italian waiter, who has inherited the uncanny ability to disguise himself.  He sets out to stop a criminal mastermind in an attempt to clear his family’s good name.  Carvey is painfully unfunny, and it's unclear if this film is aimed at kids or adults because one minute Carvey is a man who looks like a human turtle, and the next minute he is Tony from Scarface.  The jokes are not at all funny, the disguises are amateurish, and the whole painful experience feels like a bad movie made in 1982 not 2002.  It's rumored that this film ran out of funding during production, but it's too bad it didn't run out of money before it was made.  That could have saved us a lot of pain.   The Master of Disguise Info

Forgotten Film:  Buck and the Preacher  (1972)  Sidney Poitier (In the Heat of the Night) directed and starred in this unique Western film.   Poitier plays Buck, a trail boss who is leading a wagon-train full of former slaves on their way to the West.  During their journey, the travelers encounter The Preacher, played by Harry Belafonte (Uptown Saturday Night), a shady minister who Buck has to enlist to take the group to their destination.  The travelers also have to overcome a group of bandits who have the intent of stopping the wagon train.  This is an amazing film full of humor and remarkable performances, with Poitier showing his superb directing touch.   My  Rating:  Full Price   Buck and the Preacher website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Green Lantern   (2011)  While I liked Ryan Reynolds as the Lantern, he couldn't rise above a plot that looks like it was written in crayon, special effects that appear to be no better than a Power Rangers TV show, and one of the most anti-climactic battle sequences I have ever seen toward resolution in a film.  My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See It Again   Green Lantern Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  New Year's Eve (2011)  Another one of those holiday films that brings together as many stars as possible so you can forget how bad the plot really is.  Oh, and two of the "stars" of this film are Sarah Jessica Parker and Jessica Biel, both who have had quite a few bombs in recent releases.   New Years Eve Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Footloose:  The Producers wish to thank the Meteorology Department of WXIA-TV.

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term):  Boom Operator  While the Boom Operator is responsible for the operation of the boom microphone (a microphone attached to the end of a pole or crane), this position is also responsible for almost all microphone placement, including wireless mics.  The Boom Operator works very closely with the production sound mixer and confirms that the correct type of microphones are used to get the best sound results.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close  This highly anticipated film has an all- star cast headlined by Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.  Directed by Stephen Daldry (The Reader, Billy Elliot), this film is the story of a nine year-old boy who searches the streets of New York City for the lock that matches the key left by his father who died in the 9/11 attacks.   Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Until Next Time!

The Ides of March

My View:  The Ides of March:   George Clooney, who wrote and directed this film, stars as a top Presidential candidate who is in a neck-and-neck race to get the Democratic nomination.  Ryan Gosling (Drive) plays his top media strategist who believes that Clooney’s character is the man for the job.  Things start to go wrong for Gosling when he takes a phone call from the campaign manager of the rival candidate.  This is an old fashioned political thriller with many twists and turns.  Clooney is surprisingly only a supporting character in this film.  In fact, Philip Seymour Hoffman (Clooney’s campaign manager) and Paul Giamatti (the rival campaign manager) have almost as much screen time.  I liked this film, but I didn’t love it, and I think it’s because Gosling just doesn’t have much of a range as an actor. That’s not a good thing when you’re in a film with Clooney, Giamatti and Hoffman.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Ides of March Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  Restless   Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right) plays a girl who is dying of cancer.  She meets a strange, shy boy (played by newcomer Henry Hopper) at a funeral.  She soon discovers that he attends strangers’ funerals for fun and has a ghost, a dead Japanese kamikaze pilot, as a best friend.  The couple begins hanging out and eventually falls in love, but his dark past and her coming death are big obstacles to overcome.  Wasikowska is sharp and appealing as the intelligent girl who is doomed to die, and Hooper is pleasant as the troubled boyfriend.  While the film is about a dying girl, it’s more about the message of living life to its fullest while you can.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Restless Website

The 50 (a Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#33 Best Film

Bringing Up Baby (1938)  This film, directed by Howard Hawks, is the quintessential “Screwball Comedy,” and its plot has been copied many times.  Cary Grant plays a befuddled paleontologist on the brink of getting a 1 million dollar donation for his museum.  He is engaged to his capable assistant, who runs and organizes his life.  His world is turned upside down when he meets a young heiress (played by Katharine Hepburn) who, at every turn, complicates his life.  This movie moves at almost breathtaking speed with hilarious scenes and lines rapidly played out.  How can you not love a film that has a leopard named “Baby?”   Bringing Up Baby Website

Forgotten Film:  The Stunt Man (1980)  Steve Railsback plays a man who is on the run from the police.  While fleeing, he comes upon a movie being made about World War I and accidentally causes the death of one of the stunt men.  The director of the film (played by Peter O’Toole in an Oscar nominated role) knows what has happened and makes a deal that he won’t say anything if Railsback takes the dead man’s place.  Peter O’Toole is brilliant as the eccentric film director who puts Railsback in more and more dangerous stunts as the film is shot.  Barbara Hershey is absolutely gorgeous as the actress starring in the WWI film and who falls in love with Railsback, much to the displeasure of O’Toole.  This is a fascinating film, and much like the character Railsback plays, you don’t know if what you’re seeing is make believe or real.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Stunt Man Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD): Horrible Bosses (2011)  I didn’t like this movie when I reviewed it in July.  I wanted more of the bosses (played by Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell) and less of the three employees (played by Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) who try to kill their bosses.  The movie goes for the cheap laugh too often and wastes the talents of the cast.  My Rating:  Cable   Horrible Bosses Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Johnny English Reborn   I’m not a big Rowan Atkinson fan, so I doubt I will be seeing this 007 spoof film about a bumbling English spy - a sequel to Johnny English (2003).  Yeah, I haven’t heard about that film either.   Johnny English Reborn website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Ides of March:  Executive Producer – Leonardo DiCaprio

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term):  Script Supervisor:  Responsible for keeping track of what has been shot and is in charge of continuity.  The Script Supervisor takes pictures and makes notes so that everything appears to look the same to ensure continuity from shot to shot.  This position works very closely with the prop department and the director.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  My Week With Marilyn   Michelle Williams plays Marilyn Monroe in this film about the making of the movie, The Prince and the Showgirl.  Williams rarely disappoints, and this will be the first non-Harry Potter film for Hermione Granger.   My Week With Marilyn Website

Until Next Time!

50/50

My View:  50/50  Based on a true story, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer, Inception) plays a producer of an NPR-like radio station.  His world is shattered when he is diagnosed with Cancer.  The disease is so severe that he has only a 50 percent chance of survival. He must deal with his life-threatening illness while interacting with a selfish girlfriend (played by The Help's Bryce Dallas Howard), an overly protective mother (Anjelica Huston), and a best friend (Knocked Up's Seth Rogen) whose main occupation is to get as many girls in bed as possible.  He also is only the third patient his therapist (played by Up In The Air's Anna Kendrick) has ever seen.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays his role with usual, understated grace, and Anna Kendrick is fun to watch as the inexperienced therapist who seems to try every cliché’ in the book to treat Gordon-Levitt.  Surprisingly, I found that Rogen was the weak link in this movie, which is interesting because in real life, he is the best friend of the screenwriter, Will Reiser, and supported him when he had a cancer scare.  This comedy has heart and will make you laugh and cry.  My Rating:  Full Price   50/50 Website

Indyfest (A Look at a Small, Indie or Foreign Film):  1911  In the 100th film of Jackie Chan's career, Chan plays a hero of the founding of the Republic of China when revolutionary forces overthrew the Qing Dynasty that ruled for over 200 years.  This is not a typical Jackie Chan film (in which he also co-directed) as there is only one scene of martial arts (what he is known for), and his performance is very restrained, devoid of the humor that we have come to know in his films.  The film tries to be as historically accurate as possible, but, what I think is probably its greatest fault is the storyline is just very boring and extremely complicated.  While the war scenes are thrilling, too much of the movie is talking heads and, at times, it feels like the script was written by a committee where revolutionary ideals are pounded into the film.  My Rating:  Cable   1911 Website

The 50 (a Movie From My Best Worst Films of All Time)

#33 Worst Film

Xanadu (1980)  Olivia Newton-John stars as Kira, a muse sent to earth to inspire a mortal and down-on-his luck artist (played by one of the worst leading men of all time, Michael Beck).  But, Kira goes too far and gets into trouble with the gods because she falls in love with the artist.  The great Gene Kelly (in his last film) plays a former big-band leader with dreams of opening a new night club.  This is a musical, and the music was done by Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra.  Some of the songs are almost tolerable, but the dance numbers are bad as some happen on roller skates (they were big in the disco era), and the camera work is just horrible, shot with little thought.  The most amazing thing about this film is an appearance by the alt-rock band, The Tubes.    Xanadu Info

Forgotten Film:  Jeremiah Johnson  (1972)  Robert Redford plays Jeremiah Johnson, a man who decides he wants to become a trapper, a mountain man, in the harsh weather of the Utah Rocky Mountains.  Along the way, he encounters Indians, fellow trappers and settlers in this beautiful but dangerous wilderness.  This is a truly gorgeous film that captures the beauty of Utah, and we follow Johnson as he traps his way across the territory, battling both weather and Indians.  He even finds love and rescues an Indian woman from an attack by a warring tribe.  This is one of Redford best roles, and he definitely delivers throughout the film.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See It Again   Jeremiah Johnson Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Buck (2011)  This documentary is about the real life horse whisperer, Buck Brannaman, who can seemingly train a horse by just walking into the ring.  It’s an amazing story of a man, who, as a child, was abused but has taken that experience to become a better man.  While he trains horses for a living, he really trains people on how to deal and understand horses.  It is an inspiring film about an extraordinary man.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again.   Buck Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Puss In Boots  A spin-off of the popular Shrek series, the sword-fighting cat (voiced by Antonio Banderas) is headlining his own movie.  I always felt that this was the weakest character in the Shrek movies, and I can see how the Banderas’ accent could get old really fast.   Puss In Boots Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of 50/50:  Marlowe the Wonder Dog - Herself

Flictionary (a Definition of a Film Term): Greensman:  In charge of the arrangement and landscape design of plants or foliage in a film.  Depending on the film, this can be a small job, as in creating some plants in an apartment, or it could be a larger job, for example, creating and arranging foliage on location, in outdoor shoots.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  J. Edgar  The life and times of J. Edgar Hoover, the Head of the F.B.I. for more than 50 years. Clint Eastwood directs Leonardo DiCaprio.  I don't think I need to say anymore.   J. Edgar Website

Until Next Time!