Oscar! again

Just when you think you know which way the Oscar wind blows, SAG comes along and changes the weather. Up until last weekend, the shoo ins for Oscar’s Best Actress and Actor were Kate Winslet and Mickey Rourke, but then the Screen Actors Guild chose Meryl Streep and Sean Penn, and handed Winslet the Best Supporting prize for The Reader. So now, depending on who you talk to (and, really, I don’t talk to anyone, I hang out on my computer) Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn are neck and neck for Best Actor, or Rourke is just out of the running. The latter assumes that Oscar voters are turned off by the gritty intensity of The Wrestler, but they like the whole Yes We Can thing that goes on in Milk.

At scene-stealers.com they are keeping a running total of all the critics and guild awards that people get at the end of the year; whoever gets the most of those, they figure, will probably win Oscar. By that system Penn is ahead of Rourke by one award, Heath Ledger has no competition for Best Supporting Actor, and Sally Hawkins will win for Best Actress. Interesting, since she wasn’t nominated. Say, there’s an organization called “Film Critics of Central Ohio” that selected Melissa Leo for Best Actress. How many film critics do you think there are in Central Ohio? If I lived in Central Ohio, I would join that group, and I would vote for Melissa Leo.

Slumdog remains the front runner for Best Pic, some observers think because it is a “feel good’ movie, and to those people I say, “Did you see Slumdog?” There’s brutality and tragedy and poverty and some really trite gangster scenes. They do dance, Bollywood style, on the train platform in the end. That's pretty upbeat stuff.

So, to wrap up: Slumdog for Best Pic, followed by Ben Button and Milk. Penn and Rourke tops for Best Actor. Winslet for Best Actress, except for Streep and, making a late run, Anne Hathaway (possible beneficiary of a split between the first two). Supporting Actor, Heath Ledger, Supporting Actress – look out, could be a surprise on this one. Maybe Viola Davis, for twelve minutes of screen time in Doubt.

Ballots due in February 17.

Tortured suburbia: Revolutionary Road

Well made, thought provoking film. I’ve heard it called screechy, but that isn’t quite fair; a lot of arguing goes on but there are light hearted and quiet moments. Set in 1955, it’s the story of April and Frank Wheeler (played by Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio), a young couple at a tipping point. They live on Revolutionary Road, ironically named since the only thing that rebels in this quiet New York suburb is the recalcitrant grass at the end of April’s driveway. (The local real estate agent helpfully brings her some nice ground cover to fill in that stubborn spot.) April longs for something more than her predictable existence; Frank is also restless, but he seems to enjoy his Don Draper lifestyle: dapper New York businessman by day (with those astonishing martini soaked lunches), steadfast suburban husband by night. Winslet is ferocious in the big dramatic scenes, but her most memorable moments are the subtle ones, when she deliberately wipes her hands on her apron, or leans seductively against a door jamb and waves carelessly at her besotted neighbor. Towards the end of the film she calmly asks DiCaprio if he would like his eggs scrambled, or fried, and you feel a chill up your spine. DiCaprio gives a great performance; so does Kathy Bates as the busybody realtor. And Oscar nominated Michael Shannon is terrific as John Givings, a mentally unstable young man who sees the truth: You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like.

People you would never meet in your regular life: The Wrestler

This is all about Mickey Rourke’s formidable performance. He plays Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a washed up professional wrestler with little going for him except past glories. Randy has a small, devoted bunch of fans, but he’s broke most of the time, works at a grocery store, hangs out at a strip club, leads a sleazy underbelly kind of life. But you root for this guy anyway; Rourke finds his way into the humanity of the character without pulling heart strings or asking for pity. Co-stars Evan Rachel Wood, who does fine work as Randy’s estranged daughter, and Marisa Tomei, excellent as his stripper friend who is trying to find her way to a “normal” life for herself and her kid. See this one for the performances: the film itself is a tough sell, unless you are a wrestling fan: some of the bouts are brutal, a few people walked out of the show I saw. Fortunately those moments are short lived, and mostly this is a satisfying, if sad, story of struggle and redemption.

Oscar!

I love the Oscars, but then I also collect snow globes; I like American kitsch. However, even though I got up at the crack of dawn to watch the nominations in real time (5:30 AM on the west coast) I don’t actually think that the films and actors and actresses and screenplays and what not that got nominated are necessarily the best, or the most interesting, but it’s kind of fun to see who made the cut. The cool thing about watching the nominations live is you get to hear the gasps. Like, when Michael Shannon was nominated for Revolutionary Road. Big gasp.

So let’s talk about Oscar.

I learned today that while Meryl Streep has the most nominations of anybody (15) she has only won twice, which doesn’t seem fair. On the other hand she is Meryl Streep. I would like to see Melissa Leo win Best Actress, because Frozen River was such a complex, intense little film and she comes at it without reserve – I completely believed that she was a broke single mom longing to move up to a double wide. However Kate Winslet will very likely take home the award, and she deserves it – for Revolutionary Road, not The Reader, but that is the strange power of Harvey Weinstein. (Weinstein is the powerhouse Hollywood producer famous for propelling his films into Oscar contention; this time around he is pushing The Reader.) For Best Actor, I just love it that Richard Jenkins got a nod but while his performance in The Visitor was understated and moving, it didn’t require the kind of risk and full throttle commitment that Mickey Rourke brought to The Wrestler. I’m going with Rourke on this one. I’m a big Mickey Rourke fan – if you’re not sure what I mean, Netflix Diner. Or Year of the Dragon. Or Barfly. Skip Wild Orchid, that one is just weird.

Best Picture –well, I can’t get real excited about any of these films. It would have been fun to root for Dark Knight; it seems to me that Hollywood should give a nod to blockbusters now and then. I know people who have a real soft spot for Benjamin Button, but, much as I admire David Fincher I thought the film could have done with some editing. I really enjoyed Slumdog but I am getting tired of all the hype, and that leaves Frost/Nixon, Milk and The Reader; of the three I would probably go with Milk but, if the early odds makers are right (and it is early) Slumdog is the favorite. Damn Brits.

Never mind – the most fun about the Oscars is the nominations, and then the actual show. Especially the pre-game. That can be hilarious. And with Hugh Jackman as host, well, he won’t be funny but he’ll be fun to watch.

You don't have to remember Watergate (Frost/Nixon)

This film is less about the Frost/Nixon interviews than about the complicated maneuvers that were required to make them happen. In 1977 David Frost was fast on his way to becoming a has-been, looking desperately for a way back into the limelight. Nixon, three years past Watergate and his humiliating resignation of the Presidency, wanted some kind of public redemption. As the two men plan their television encounter, it becomes evident that they are less business partners than adversaries, about to engage in a contest that one of them has to win. It’s kind of a thriller, without car chases and explosions, there are a lot of edge of your seat moments, mostly because David Frost seems woefully unprepared to handle an opponent as formidable as our most infamous President. Frank Langella is remarkable as Nixon; after a while you entirely forget you’re watching an actor play a part. Michael Sheen plays Frost with great humanity and vulnerability, so that you root for him even as you’re aware his cavalier attitude may well doom his most significant project. Great supporting contributions from Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon, and Sam Rockwell, all playing real people. I saw this film with a bunch of teens, and they liked it, seeing parallels to current events….so don’t hesitate to bring the kids.

Yes, you do want to see a movie about nuns (Doubt)

Engaging, challenging, provocative, terrific film. I went with a group of eight people, all kinds of home-for-the-holidays ages, and everyone enjoyed it, in no small part because filmmaker/playwright John Patrick Shanley respects his audience; he assumes we know how to think. Doubt is played out on such an intimate level that it is sometimes uncomfortable (or “really intense” as our teen viewers observed); you feel as though you have inadvertently walked in on a very private conversation. But it is worth it. Meryl Streep is astounding as the nun who believes the priest in her parish (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is abusing children – she is by turns terrifying, heart breaking, and then, abruptly, a practical and practiced school administrator. Astonishing. Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrific, and Amy Adams pulls off yet another surprising and wonderful performance: at age 35 she has played a fairy princess, a knocked up teenager, and a nun. Who gets to do that? Final kudos to Viola Davis, as the mother of the possibly abused boy – she has a very short scene, but it’s with Meryl Streep, and she more than holds her own.

The Curious Case of the Missing Storyline (Benjamin Button)

I know two rational middle aged men who were moved and touched by this film. I wasn’t, but I liked it well enough, it’s beautifully made, and very detailed, as Fincher films tend to be. What troubles me about Benjamin Button is that it doesn’t have a smooth storyline; it is really a bunch of vignettes strung together, and oddly, this nearly makes the film’s intriguing premise – a man born old and growing younger - irrelevant. In the title role, Brad Pitt is understated to the point of blandness; Cate Blanchett is lovely but she has little to work with. Without question the highlights of the film are the scenes in the dingy Russian hotel with Tilda Swinton, and the ones with Jared Harris, the salty sea captain. Taraji P. Hensen, playing Bejamin's loving foster mother, is also terrific: when she takes in this monstrous, ugly baby, saying simply "He is still a child of God," you believe her.

Too many movies, too little time

Since the great pursuit of Oscar makes the studios release all their serious films at the end of the year, a lot of big buzz movies hit multiplexes in December. This makes things complicated: how do you choose between Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway? (Wait, Anne Hathaway?) And do you go with Rob Howard’s Best Film Ever or Clint Eastwood’s latest gritty outing or maybe you really want to know how the guy who made Se7en handles a movie about a dude who is born old and keeps getting younger?

The Reelfan has a goal – see everything. It’s an almost impossible task but as Sean Penn says in Milk:”God knows we keep on trying.”

Happy New Year Reelfan fans!

The Way We Were (in the 1970s): Milk

This is one heck of a movie. It tells Harvey Milk’s story in a personal, almost intimate way; you feel invited in, like a bunch of old friends asked you over so they could tell you what really happened. Sean Penn is terrific – he portrays Milk as a man on a mission, a tough political fighter, but he shows his heart as well. You really like the guy. Also good are James Franco (most recently seen as a pothead in Pineapple Express) as Scott Smith, Milk’s lover and partner; and prolific Josh Brolin (this is his fourth Hollywood release in a year) playing Dan White, the San Francisco Supervisor who assassinated both Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Milk is shot with unpretentious grittiness, nearly like you’re watching a home movie, and director Gus Van Sant blends in actual 1970s footage, including interviews (and orange juice ads!) with the infuriating Anita Bryant, as well as evening news clips featuring youthful versions of Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw. A heroic effort was made to give the film a sense of authenticity. This is a remarkable story, extremely well told. Currently showing in about 20 cities around the country, set to expand this weekend. Critics love it, early (very limited) box office excellent.

Holiday Box Office

What takes out a vampire? Wooden stakes, bright sunlight, and Reese Witherspoon. Twilight’s brief reign at the box office looks to end this weekend, victim of Four Christmases and Disney’s Bolt, which is offering fierce competition for second place as families head to the multiplex. Newcomers Australia and Transporter 3 are just okay in ticket sales; apparently romantic epics and recycled action pictures aren't what America needs this Thanksgiving. Older films like Quantum of Solace are performing better. In terms of high quality drama, well, you’re still waiting in most of the country, but the heavy hitters are on their way: Milk is out in limited release, and early December brings Frost/Nixon to theaters.

Love in the Outback. With bombs.

Baz Luhrman is a romantic goofball. As co-writer and director of Australia, he has created a comedy, and a drama, and an adventure and a cowboy movie and a World War II picture. It’s not so much that he can’t decide which direction to go, but that he likes all the directions so he figures he might as well go everywhere. Nicole Kidman plays Sarah Ashley, an uptight English noblewoman whose husband has settled down on a remote cattle ranch in the Australian Outback. She boldly travels there to retrieve him, but when she arrives she learns that he has been murdered and she has become the reluctant owner of a cattle spread that directly threatens the empire of nefarious rancher King Carney (Bryan Brown). Her only reliable ally in the outback is a hunky Australian cowboy played by Hugh Jackman (they call him “The Drover” – apparently he’s too cool for a regular name); they hate each other on sight, so of course they fall in love after about half an hour. What follows is a glorious, dusty widescreen cattle drive framed by elaborate Australian vistas, then a lot of romance in the rain, and then the Japanese come and bomb everything. The best part of the movie is a little boy named Nullah, offspring of a white father and Aborigine mother; played by Brandon Walters, he steals Lady Ashley’s heart and pretty much every scene. This isn’t serious filmmaking, although at times it seems like it would like to be, but it is an entertaining film, particularly if you’re in a sweeping epic kind of mood. Playing in a whole lot of theaters all over the place. Not raking it in; stumbling badly against Four Christmases, Bolt and Twilight. Critical reviews dead average.

Fall Frenzy

Things are ramping up on the serious side of Hollywood, with the blockbuster season behind us and the awards season on the horizon. So far a couple of films have risen and fallen right out of the golden limelight: Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna’s, and Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies (starring Leo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe) both pretty much failing with critics and tanking at the box office. Oscar doesn’t give a damn about movies that no one wants to see, no matter who stars in them. There are a few things prognosticators are certain of: Anne Hathaway will be nominated for best actress for her performance in Rachel Getting Married; and Heath Ledger will be promoted (not necessarily nominated) for best supporting actor for his turn as the Joker in last summer’s Dark Knight.


This weekend we have four big openings: on the serious sort of front, Oliver Stone’s W. is coming to theaters; rumors suggest that Josh Brolin really nails his role as the lame duck pres. The film is supposed to be a surprisingly gentle take on Bush – did you know he and Oliver Stone were at Yale at the same time? Marky Mark Wahlberg stars in Max Payne, a movie based on a video game that has been slammed by the few critics who have actually seen it. Secret Life of Bees, from the terrific book by Sue Monk Kidd, looks promising, and features some great actresses: Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keyes, Queen Latifah. Finally, teen sex comedy Sex Drive opens: it’s a road trip kind of film, it has Seth Green in it and he is supposed to be funny; the rest of the movie is mostly silly boy gags. Couple of films still in theaters that might be entertaining are Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Bill Maher’s Religulous. On DVD, check out The Visitor, Iron Man, or maybe Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Rehab Princess: Rachel Getting Married

Ann Hathaway does a star turn as a recovering addict jumping directly from rehab into the emotional stress of her sister’s wedding. She gives a terrific performance, really remarkable about face for the former Disney princess. Rumors of Oscar are completely justified. Now, this isn’t a lighthearted film – the Reelfan’s hubby heard complaining in the men’s room after the show, something about “I thought it would be funnier!” but when you have a dysfunctional family hosting a wedding, well, the humor is going to be pretty dark. Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) directs and he chooses to show every unvarnished moment of the weekend – no fast cuts to hurry the plot along. Sometimes that’s wonderful, and sometimes you wish you could slip out to the bar with the other guests. Music is great and mostly performed live during the filming – many of the wedding guests are musicians – and there is an oddly engaging dishwasher filling contest. Not something you often see at the movies. Debra Winger makes a rare big screen appearance as the emotionally disconnected mother of the bride, and she is luminous; Bill Irwin, lately one of Elmo’s friends on Sesame Street, touchingly plays the father who just wants everyone to get along. Pretty cool movie for grownups and older teenaged Hathaway fans.

Lighter Notes: Burn After Reading and Ghost Town

Looking for a fun night out? Two comedies worth checking out: In Ghost Town, Ricky Gervais (the guy who brought The Office over the pond) plays Bertram Pincus, a cranky dentist who dies for (almost) seven minutes; when he comes to he discovers - to his great dismay - that he can see ghosts. And they can talk to him. These nether world spirits all want something from Doctor Pincus, and the general idea is that he has to find his humanity by helping dead people, and then he can get the girl. It’s sort of like Groundhog Day if you forget all the depth and insight, and overlook the fact that there is really no chemistry between Gervais and Tea Leoni (she plays the girl). Still, there are some good laughs and overall this is a fun movie to watch. First-rate supporting performances: watch for SNL vet Kristin Wiig playing the surgeon.

On a much darker note, Burn After Reading is the Coen Brothers comedic outing and it is essentially a big goof, like the directors invited a bunch of A List stars down to their studio and told them to go ahead and have a good time (cast list includes Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Richard Jenkins, John Malkovich and Tilda Swinton). The movie barely makes sense, the characters do things no one would ever do, but there are some memorable, laugh out loud moments. It’s not Fargo but if you like the Coen Brothers you will have a good time. Fair warning to the sensitive and uninitiated: there is some nasty, gory stuff in this film, be prepared to avert your eyes now and then; it won’t affect your enjoyment of the movie.

Vote Independent -- Frozen River

This movie kept surprising me. Whenever I thought I knew where it was going, the story would veer another way.

Melissa Leo plays Ray Eddy, a weary but loving mother who is raising her two boys in a beat up old trailer in a bleak northern American town, up where the St. Lawrence River marks the border with Canada. She has a deposit down on a double wide, a nice new mobile home with a Jacuzzi tub and lots of insulation against the fierce northern winter; it’s supposed to be a Christmas present, but a week before the holiday her gambling husband takes off with the family savings, leaving her with an empty refrigerator and no way to play Santa. Desperate, she hooks up with Lila, a young woman from the nearby Mohawk reservation; they form an uneasy partnership smuggling illegal immigrants into the country by driving them across the frozen St. Lawrence, hidden inside the trunk of Ray’s car.

This is a remarkably honest film; it takes us right into Lila and Ray’s lives without any Hollywood gloss. It’s shot so intimately that you can almost feel the cold of the northeastern winter – I actually worried that Lila didn’t have enough blankets on her bed. And while two women are at the heart of this movie it isn’t a chick film –they’re smugglers, after all (there are plenty of heart stopping moments), and they aren’t remotely glamorous.

Melissa Leo (she’s been in a bunch of movies, and she pops up on TV) gives a tremendous performance; there is Oscar talk but it’s always a tough road when the film is this small. Frozen River won the Grand Jury Prize for Drama at Sundance, and it’s a big critical fave. Highly recommended, especially if you’re in the mood for a non-Hollywood film.

The Other Spencer Girl -- The Duchess

A sumptuous period costume drama soap opera – and unfortunately, not much else. Keira Knightly plays Georgiana Spencer (yes, those Spencers) the young Duchess of Devonshire who, in late 18th century England, was an A list celebrity. Her great fame and popularity allowed her to influence society, fashion, and perhaps most notably, politics. She also had a tabloid worthy personal life, and that is pretty much the stuff of this film – the choice is regrettable because there isn’t enough sudsy material to fill the screen time. So we get Ralph Fiennes, as the Duke, sulking because his wife gives him daughters, instead of sons, and then he takes mistresses and then there are long scenes where the Duke and Duchess speak coldly to each other across mammoth dining tables while the servants look on. Not the stuff of high drama. Admittedly, there are plenty of strange twists and turns in the nobles’ personal lives, but history would certainly have forgotten them if it weren’t for Georgiana’s influential public role, and the movie seems to have little time for that. Keira Knightly does well with what little she is given to work with; Ralph Fiennes appears to have shown up for a couple of days of filming because the money was good. See it if you love Keira Knightly and authentic period dramas. Otherwise, move on.

Somewhere Between Bad, and Not So Bad

Three notable films are opening this weekend; unfortunately none of them arrive with much critical enthusiasm. Burn After Reading is the Coen brothers latest, they brought us No Country for Old Men last year and Fargo before that. Good pedigree, but this outing appears to be less interesting. The cast is hot, though: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, and Tilda Swinton. With all that talent, how bad can it be? Speaking of talent, Deniro and Pacino team up in Righteous Kill, a movie about a serial killer vigilante cop; the police detectives played by our Greatest Actors seem more inclined to admire the bad guy than arrest him. Not supposed to be a very good film, but around here they have screenings where you can drink wine and beer while you watch: that could work. Finally, The Women – this is a shame: the original, made by George Cukor in 1939, had a sort of wicked catty charm, it was a little subversive. This remake, featuring a gaggle of actresses and headlined by the ever perky Meg Ryan, is reputed to be much more Sex in the City than Mean Girls. Time Magazine’s Robert Schickel said it was the worst movie he’s ever seen. If I was going to pick one of these I would go with the Burn After Reading – Coen Brothers movies always have entertainment value. Oh, and one more: Tyler Perry has a new picture, The Family That Preys. I’m not a Perry fan – I tend to think that he is unkind to his female characters, but this picture has a little bit of buzz.
Otherwise, if you’re looking for action/suspense and all that, try Traitor: Don Cheadle plays a double agent who may or may not have gone over to the dark side.

But he was great in Valley Girl

I have a soft spot for Nicholas Cage. I realize it isn’t always deserved; he makes some god-awful movies. This weekend he pops up in Bangkok Dangerous, a remake of a Thai-language picture from back in 1999. Cage plays a ruthless, loner assassin with strange hair who becomes unexpectedly attached to his street punk sidekick; there’s also a girl involved, always a bit awkward when you’re a ruthless loner assassin. The Pang Brothers, who directed the original, are back for this one; by all accounts they’ve lost their edge. There’s not much to recommend here, but the expectation is that this bit of action driven fluff will take the weekend box office derby.

If you don’t want to take a chance on Cage and Co. look for Hamlet 2, hopefully playing at a theater near you. If it’s action you’re after, see if you can find Hellboy. Everybody loves Hellboy.

Reviving the Prince of Denmark: Hamlet 2

Rock me Jesus! This is a high spirited, fun loving goof of a movie. It stars Steve Coogan (the stressed out director in Tropic Thunder) as a washed up actor turned drama teacher, who isn’t very good at that either. When his drama program is threatened by budget cuts, he makes a desperate effort to “save the arts” by staging a musical sequel to Hamlet – something about Jesus and a time machine and Hamlet forgiving his father and saving everybody else from their tragic ends. A big hit at Sundance, so it’s full of indie cred, there is something so sincere about the lunacy of this story that you can’t help but enjoy the ride. Also features some great performances by the “teenaged” cast (many of them aren’t teens anymore, but never mind). Opened small but expanding over Labor Day.

War is Comedy: Tropic Thunder

The summer movie season is winding down, with official “also-rans” hitting the theaters: titles like The House Bunny and Death Race trying to pick up some box office crumbs. Big winners for the season are Dark Knight and Iron Man, with Indiana Jones not far behind. If you haven’t seen Dark Knight or Iron Man, and you‘re in the mood for action, those are worth checking out. If you haven’t seen Indiana Jones, never mind. Shia LaBoeuf has a whole new thriller coming out on September 26. Otherwise, no real critical darlings opening this weekend, and the new arrivals get mostly middling reviews, including – sorry, Office fans – the Rocker, Raine Wilson’s attempt to play someone other than Dwight Schrute. But, still in a theater near you (probably several theaters near you)…

Tropic Thunder

This movie is about a bunch of self important actors making a self important movie about Viet Nam, Hollywood poking fun at itself, and here is what all the fuss is about: Ben Stiller plays a washed up action star who recently bombed in his attempt to portray a mentally challenged adult. We see clips of his film and it’s a tasteless, overdone, pretty much unfunny bit of business that probably wouldn’t have caused any ripples if it didn’t play such a key part in the Tropic Thunder story line. Fortunately it’s not the most interesting part: that happens anytime Robert Downey Jr. is on screen. In fact the mentally challenged thing is only funny when Downey Jr. explains to Stiller why the role didn’t net him Oscar Gold: “You went full retard, man. Never go full retard." Downey Jr. is brilliant of course, with natural style and timing on screen; in this ensemble cast he is entertaining even when he is at the back of the crowd, reacting to someone else. But when he isn’t on screen the film belongs to the supporting actors, especially Matthew McConaughey, stepping easily into the small role of Stiller’s determined agent, and Tom Cruise, almost unrecognizable as a megalomaniacal studio boss. Cruise is hilarious, actually. Weird guy, but funny. This isn’t the most memorable comedy but it’s a good time at the movies. Go see it, and keep your eye on Robert Downey Jr. He’s fun to watch.