THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD (2008, KOREA)

The Great American Western (Though sometimes they make 'em in Korea) (Post 12 of 12)

The Good, the Bad, the Weird

 

Today's movie questionnaire...

Are you a fan of Sergio Leone films? (Check)

Do you think an updated homage (even including the three man final shootout) might be something to your liking? (Check)

Do you appreciate more recent Asian action films to American ones? (Check)

Well, that's three for three. The Good, the Bad, the Weird is well on its way to getting a thumbs up from me.

And a general thumbs up to most of the Western genre films that I've watched this month.

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THE WRESTLER (2007), ANVIL (2008)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 12 of 12)

The Wrestler and Anvil! The Story of Anvil

The Wrestler and Anvil! both feature high testosterone subjects (wrestling and heavy metal music) and whose ultimate moral for me is the same. “Hang in there! Do what you believe! Never give up!”

In the case of the fictional film, The Wrestler, aging grappler Randy the Ram is still trying to eke out a living in small wrestling venues while being tossed onto tables, having his head cut open or having another wrestler use a staple gun on him! It doesn’t seem too glamorous, but what else is Randy going to do? That is what he knows and who he is. When he develops a heart condition and is told to stop wrestling, he tries to do something different. The scene with Randy the Ram, hairnet and all, trying to work at a deli counter in a grocery store is one of the most tragic yet funny scenes I can remember. Of course, he hangs in there. Doing what you believe and never giving up may cost Randy his life, but he truly doesn’t seem to have a choice.

Anvil! is a documentary about an actual Canadian heavy metal band and their attempts to make a comeback, or just make another record, really.

This film has a lot of similarites to the fictional This is Spinal Tap!-Anvil even visits Stonehenge! Their sound equipment goes up to 11! They even have a gig in Europe where the owner of the club refuses to pay them! (If I told ‘em once I told them a hundred times to put Spinal Tap first and puppet show last!) And there is even the obligatory falling out between bandmates Lipps and Robb where these best friends will never work together again! Of course, they do get back together. “I was wrong. I’m an asshole. I love you brother. I can’t do this without you!”.

Like Randy the Ram, we see Lipps trying to make money at a “real” job. His attempt is as a phone solicitor. He can’t do it. It just isn’t in him. What’s he going to do? I’m not a fan of heavy metal, but you got to admire their perseverance and root for them to get their record made... Or at the very least have a fan like Sacha Gervasi who might one day become a documentary filmmaker and make a movie about you.

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MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 10 of 12)

Million Dollar Baby

Anyone interested in a close look at Clint Eastwood's long career as a movie star might want to read Marc Elliot's American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood. From the Leone films of the mid 60's to Grand Torino over forty years later, how many other stars can really compete with Clint's longevity?

It's hard for me not to first think of Clint as the Man With No Name or Dirty Harry, but it's his career as a director (Over 30 films, two Best Director Oscars) that really makes me take note. Elliot sees him as a flesh and blood auteur, with a recognizable signature on most of his films (Though maybe not for Breezy).

Clint won his second directoral Oscar for Million Dollar Baby, which I don't like as much as Unforgiven, but does have Hillary Swank as The Million Dollar Baby, Morgan Freeman as the trainer and Clint himself as the crusty old manager, training someone who he doesn't want to train because of her persistence. The strong, but at times depressing story, is one of those movies that I saw once and didn't want to watch again. But on my second viewing, I admit to liking it even more. It's really an emotional and dramtically involving movie. Come to think of it, I liked Unforgiven more the second time I saw it, too. Maybe there's something to this auteur theory after all!

Note to self: Watch Mystic River again.

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INTO THE WILD (2007)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 9 of 12)

Into the Wild

After viewing the movie Into the Wild or reading the John Kraukauer book it is based on, the question you may ask yourself is what is within us that makes us want to throw of the vesitages of our identity and become Alexander Supertramp? Life gives us responsibilities and we either accept them or slowly try to shed them. Can we ever act totally free? Is it worth starving to death to achieve a sense of self or a sense of oneness? Do you feel sorry for Chris McGinnis? Do you envy him? Do you wish you had the courage to do what he did? Or was he just mentally ill?

The heart of darkness may be in all men, but so is the heart of light. Where and how you find it is up to you.

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WALL*E (2008)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 8 of 12)

WALL*E

Muro * E estas pli arto filmo ol io Disney / Pixar blindigi antaŭe. Ekzistas multaj longaj scenoj kun nun dialogo ajn. Mi donas al ili krediton por provi iun differnt. Ho, kaj mia nevino Krista diras ŝi ŝatas la fakton ke ĉiuj en la estonteco dikiĝas.

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THE CLASS (2008, FRANCE)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 6 of 12)

The Class

Boy, just when I was having trouble coming up with ideas of what to write on this blog, I post a movie that I actually watched several months ago and is slowly fading from my memory banks. But let me try. I know that whenever I see any film about teaching inner city youths (be they French, American or Swahili) it doesn’t really inspire me to be a teacher. This was a tough film with no pat answers, no To Sir With Love hero worship, just teachers and students trying to get along under tough circumstances. I do like that it gives you a lot from the teacher's point of view.

Which reminds me of one of my all-time favorite televison shows: Room 222. Why would this type of schoolroom show not be on televison today?. Because it (gasp!) actually shows things from the teacher's point of view! But that's a rant for anouther day. And to Room 222's Karen Valentine, you'll always be my sitcom rerun valentine. xoxoxoxoxo

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CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 5 of 12)

Children of Men

The focus of Children of Men is really in the background, behind the main focus of what is going on, according to the filmmaker Slavoj Zizek. You can see this in an oblique way only if it remains in the background, a prism in which you see the background even more sharply...

Wait a minute.

I'm not sure if I really want to continue on this route or not. Do I really want to discuss the ideological despair of late capitalism? Do I really want to attempt to wax poetic about fertility being a spiritual renewal that can be transcended through the art of motion pictures?

Where do you go when you reach a crossroads with your blog?

Is anyone listening?

Does anyone care?

Are we, the bloggers, just waiting our turn to put in our two cents?

Has the blogosphere turned us into writers INSTEAD of readers?

On a blog can anyone hear you scream?

Should I continue watching all the movies on this list when I could really be working on my dream blog of reviewing every single cartoon short in the Hanna-Barbera catalog?

I'll have to think this over.

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THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 4 of 12)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Rex Reed factor

There are some critics over the years that I have used as a pretty good barometer to judge whether or not I will like a film or not (Roger Ebert or Eleanor Ringel are examples). There are other critics that I may disagree with but are enjoyable to read (Pauline Kael and David Thompson come to mind). So where does that leave long-time New York Post critic Rex Reed, with his drippy sarcasm and apparent lack of taste for anything remotely offbeat? I'm glad you asked. I use him as a reverse barometer. If the former Gong Show panelist doesn’t like something, it is probably something to check out. Or if one of the co-stars of Myra Breckinridge raves too much about a film, it makes me more than a little hesitant to watch.

The problem in this case is that Rex really liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…and so did I. Well, I'm still not going to change any of my critical or reverse critical barometers. Let's say that Rex and I will just have to agree to agree on this one.

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PAN'S LABRYINTH (2006, SPAIN)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 3 of 12)

All I know is that if I had seen this film as a kid, the creature in the picture above would have probably traumatized me for life.

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LA VIE EN ROSE (2007, FRANCE)

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 2 of 12)

La Vie En Rose

The 2007 Best Actress Academy Award went to Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose, the autobiography of Edith Piaf.

When you think about it, it really is a blueprint for what the Academy gives an acting Oscar for. Let's see: She gets to be poor, rich, young, old, abused, an abuser, a singer, a drunk, and a drug addict. She is also portraying a famous person and gets to tone down her good looks, which the Academy always seems to like a lot. She has several emotional scenes, including a mental breakdown, but her big one is finding out about the death of the great love of her life. She also has a great death bed scene just to make sure.. Her only drawback is that this film is not in English, which the Academy rarely acknowledges, but I guess the other present factors trump the fact that she is speaking in French. And let's face it, if Roberto Begnini can win an Oscar, isn’t anything possible?

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SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008)

The 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list has officially become the over 1100 Movies You Must See Before You Die if you include viewing all the movies from all the editions of all the books. In order to catch up with some more of the recent listings, I was going to have a “21st century films month!,” but since I’ve done that already, I’ll just call this “Son of 21st century films month!” since I can’t come with anything better..

Son of 21st century films month! (Post 1 of 12)

Slumdog Millionaire

I’m sure the original pitch to the studio for Slumdog Millionaire went something like : We’re going to have a movie set in India that has lots of scenes of poverty and suffering in it. Oh, and did I mention we don’t have any stars. It will be a big hit, really!

But it really did become a big hit. And even won the Best Picture Oscar for 2008! It’s downright inspiring to see the lowly “chai wallah” slumdog and his search for his true love while relating all the questions in of a game show to his life. My favorite charcter was the sleazy yet engaging game show host played by Anil Kapoor, who I think should have been given some Oscar consideration himself while they were handing out so many other awards to this picture. His character does make make me wonder if they really torture contestants such as Jamaal who gets too many questions right. Of course, I certainly can’t picture Regis Philbin or Alex Trebek using thumbscrews or a torture rack backstage.

Speaking of Alex Trebek: This really doesn’t have much to do with Slumdog Millionaire, but I’ll take this opportunity to make a note on that American institution Alex Trebek, long-time host of Jeopardy!.

During the American TV game show renaissance (AKA the 1970’s) Alex Trebek was just one of many quizmasters, such as Wink Martindale, Jack Barry, Allen Ludden and Jim Lang. Alex hosted an interesting show called the Wizard of Odds, where you try to guess the odds of occurrences in a survey sort of like in Family Feud. The curly-headed, thick mustachioed Trebek always seemed like a used car salesman to me. This image was further amplified in the show High Rollers!, where designated dice tosser Ruta Lee (who apparently had no talent for rolling dice) would try to roll certain numbers for contestants after they answered the relatively simple questions posed by your host, Alex Trebek. I always thought there was something a little shady about that show and it wasn’t as fun to watch as The Joker’s Wild or The Match Game. Alex even hosted some game show, which I can’t remember the name of, where the lightning round involves Alex and the contestant riding a glass elevator up to the next floor to participate in the lightning round of some kind. That is really the only thing I can remember about the show.

Of course, the Rolls Royce of game shows from the 60’s to the 70’s was Jeopardy!, where the contestant was given the answer and the contestant had to supply the question. It was fast and it was smart and you didn’t have to feel like you had to take a shower after you finished watching it, like if you did if just watched an episode of Let’s Make a Deal.

The host was the fast-talking and erudite Art Fleming, a man who could have easily been cast as a senator if he had been an actor during the Jeopardy! years. Art definitely had a Cronkitian air of authority to him, and was someone who commanded respect. I was pretty young when Jeopardy! went off the air, but I knew it was a sad day.

In the 80’s, they decided to bring Jeopardy! back. When I heard who the host was my reaction was, “Alex Trebek? Are you kidding? This isn’t Hollywood Squares! This isn’t The Newlywed Game! This…is…Jeopardy!!” But I gave it a chance. And you know, Trebek was good. He was quick. He was clear. He was fair. He was good at showing empathy for about two seconds when a contestant answered a question incorrectly (Ohhhh!) before quickly moving on to the next question. And don’t miss a question incorrectly about Trebek’s native Canada, or he will admonish you. So I completely changed my mind about Trebek. He is now an American (and probably Canadian, too) institution. Now that Trebek has done the show for almost three decades, I honestly can’t imagine anyone else doing it.

Additional Jeopardy bibliography:

A.J. Jacobs, One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World, One chapter of The Know It All has a section of A. J.’s interview with Alex Trebek. When A. J. later tries to get on Jeopardy!, he is disqualified because of his interview with Trebek. He has to settle for an appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
? instead.

Ken Jennings, Branniac, From the man who won 74 Jeopardy games in a row, this book has a lot on his Jeopardy! Experience. as well as trips to an awful lot of long trivia nights.

Bob Harris’s Prisoner of Trebekistan, is a very funny and engaging book on his experience as a Jeopardy! Contestant.

What was this blog supposed to be about again? Well, no time. Jeopardy! Is about to come on. Can’t keep Alex waiting!



Alex Trebek and Ken "74" Jennings

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INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (2009)

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (if written by a Boston Red Sox fan)

Once upon a time in a New England wood...

Baseball star Johnny Damon is propped up on top of a giant rock. His hands are tied behind his back and is close to unconsciousness. A splash of water onto his face causes him to awaken quickly.

ALDO: Wake up sleepy head! I need your full attention, Private Damon.

DAMON: (Becoming alert) What? What? Who are you? What’s going on? Why am I tied up?

ALDO: (holds up his hand as a sign for Damon to stop talking) Please, Private Damon. You inquiries will be shortly addressed. But first let me introduce myself. I am Aldo the Apache and I render justice to those that perpetrate offenses outside the jurisdiction of the American legal system.

DAMON: This is outrageous! You can't do this to me. Let me go at once-

Aldo throws another bucket of water into Damon’s face.

ALDO: Please Private Damon. I was still talking. I will kindly ask you to not interrupt me again. However, since you appear to be the impatient type, I will get right to business by giving you a quick recap of what led us to the predicament you find yourself in. If you recall, you were a member of the grandest organization in sports, The Boston Red Sox. During the 2004 postseason you became quite a hero. I certainly thought of you as a hero. Many others did too. You could have been set for life as a member of the Red Sox. But do you know what you did after that?

DAMON: I…I…I

Aldo throws yet another bucket of water into Damon’s face.

ALDO: I will now tell you what happened. The devil tempted you and you put your name on the dotted line to be one of his foot soldiers. Yes, you signed with the New York Yankees.

DAMON: Oh, my God! Are you going to kill me?

ALDO: Kill you? You really wound me, Private Damon. Though you may find my accent to be one you might associate with the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, let me assure you that I am a gentleman of New England through and through. I am not some common Brooklyn street thug. No, grievous as your offense is, it does not constitute a capital punishment. Though that which you have perpetrated does require justice of some kind.

DAMON: But this isn’t fair! I don’t even play for the Yankees any more!

ALDO: I’m sorry, Private Damon. When you are accepted as a Hatfield, you just don’t start hanging out with the McCoys. I’m paraphrasing the honorable Curt Schilling, of course. You took Yankee money when you could have gotten plenty elsewhere. Do you think you’d be in this situation if you had signed with the Milwaukee Brewers? Besides, you can take off that Yankee uniform you once wore, but the Apache in me can still can smell it on you. But not everyone has my nose for truth, but I’ll get to that momentarily. As I said, this is not a capital crime, but to forgo any punishment at all? This, I cannot abide. You need to learn that actions have consequences, though I think your punishment should be a little more than me just making you eat a straw hat.

Damon begins to say something, but Aldo again raises a hand for him to stop. Aldo turns into the direction behind him.

ADLO: (Shouting) Cpl. Yastrzemski! Private Damon here once said he wanted to be a Yankee for life. Oh-blige him!

There are several thumps from a dark tunnel behind Aldo before the figure of a strapping Polish man with smart, dark sideburns and a Red Sox baseball cap emerges outside. He comes into the light twirling his bat like a baton.

YASTRZEMSKI: Yahoo! I’m Teddy Williams and I’m about to go the other way and belt one over the historic Green Monster. And the crowd here at Fenway goes wild!

As Yastrzemski comes next them, Aldo smirks and Yastrzemski reluctantly puts the bat down. Aldo reaches into his pocket and tosses him an all-purpose Swiss Army knife. He nods in Damon’s direction and Yastrzemski quickly takes the knife to Damon’s forehead and goes to work.

An hour later.

ALDO: (looking at Damon) My God, Cpl. Yastrzemski! You do mighty impressive work. Looks just like the emblem on their cap! This is much better than the one you did on Reggie Jackson. Anyway, he’s still out, but you can go ahead and cut him loose now. It looks like the bleeding has stopped and we need to get a move on before he wakes up.

YASTRZEMSKI: Did he really think we were going to kill him?

ALDO: That’s the mentality, Cpl. Yastrzemski. That’s the mentality. As always, I thank you for your good work here today, but it is once again time for us to part our ways as some in our society still don't recognize our way of administiring justice.

Yastrzemski shakes Aldo’s hand and begins walking away from Aldo.

ALDO: (Shouting back) Oh, Cpl. Yastrzemski. Let's remember to keep our knives sharp, I hear A-Rawd might be retiring soon.

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BATMAN: THE SERIES (1966-1968), BATMAN (1989), THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Batman: The Series (1966-1968), Batman (1989), The Dark Knight (2008)

Joker…Joker… Joker

It’s interesting that the only two Superhero movies on any of the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die lists are both Batman movies. And it is no accident that both of the Batman movies listed have the same supervillain: The Joker.

I grew up watching the campy but endearing Batman television series. One of its many pleasures was the villain of the week. We had the waddling Penguin, The constantly giggling Riddler, the sexy Catwoman and many, many other guest bad guys or gals visit Gotham City during the three year run of the show. But I’ve got to admit, that despite the infectious laugh of the Riddler, that weird quacking noise the Penguin made and the obvious charms of Julie Newmar in the Catwoman outfit, the one that stood out the most was The Joker.

Cesar Romero was kind of a second tier Latin lover leading man during the 1930’s and 1940’s, but I really only think of him as The Joker. Bright green hair, white face makeup painted right over Romero’s moustache and that purple suit were The Joker’s signatures and this pretty much cemented into my head how The Joker was supposed to be. The way Romero drew out his words, “Yeeees, Batman,” the way he clapped his gloved hands together in rapid succession and of course that laugh, (Hoo hoo hoo hoo)were all signatures. I also liked the scenes when the Joker traded fisticuffs with the caped crusader and a stuntman for Romero in a Joker’s getup would get really get it! Biff! Kapow! Splaat!

The impression of the television show (as well as the comic books) was pretty strong and I really didn’t think anyone could make a successful Batman movie that wasn’t camp. Then Tim Burton brought his Batman to the screen in 1989. I don’t have any direct proof of this statement, but my guess is that it was the most hyped movie ever up until that time. At least it seemed that way. When it was announced that the Joker was going to be the villain, there was clearly only one choice for the role: Jack Nicholson.

Some have said about Burton’s Batman, that it should actually have been called The Joker and it is really just as much about him as Batman.

In this Batman, Jack Napier is a criminal long before he becomes The Joker. We find out later that Jack was the one that killed Bruce Wayne’s parents("Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight"). It is during an altercation with Batman that Jack falls into acid, which disfigures him and turns him into The Joker. Nicholson’s Joker is hammy, but scary. He’s full of one-liners, (“Where does he get those wonderful toys?” “Those are my balloons. He stole my balloons! Why didn't anyone tell me he had one of those... things?") He even compares their respective origins with Batman during their final scene ("Give me a break! I was a kid when I killed your parents. When I say 'I made you' you gotta say 'you made me.' How childish can you get?"). IDespite the oddity of seeing Nicholson prance around to Prince songs, Nicholson’s Joker works, and Batman's initial return to the screen was a success. Subsequent films were popular, but as the Batmen kept changing (Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney) and the villains became a little less compelling (Arnold Schwarenaggers’ endless cold related puns from Batman and Robin), the series eventually died.

Christopher Nolan brought the series back in 2005 with the film Batman Begins, based on The Dark Knight graphic novels by Frank Miller. Nolan’s films are bleaker than the Burton inspired series and are about as far away from the original Batman television show as you can get. But it’s the second film, The Dark Knight that is included on the 1001 list. What sets it apart from Batman Begins? The obvious answer is that villain of villains: The Joker. But unlike the casting of Jack Nicholson in the previous series, the casting of Heath Ledger seemed a bit odd. You mean one of the gay cowboys from Brokeback Mountain as The Joker? Obviously, Nolan or whoever cast Ledger in the part knew what they were doing. In the Burton Batman, you might really like what Nicholson does with The Joker, but you never forget that it’s Nicholson’s Joker. In The Dark Knight, I don’t think of it being Ledger’s Joker, that’s just the freaking Joker! Unlike Nicholson’s Joker, The Dark Knight’s Joker has no past, no origin story, no traditional criminal motivation and no previous connection with Batman/Bruce Wayne. He is a terrorist, pure and simple whose modus operandi is identified by Alfred the butler in that some people just want to see the world burn. That is what makes this the scariest Joker of all.

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A. I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001)

Color Me Kubrick Month Post #10

Uncolor Me Kubrick: A. I. Artificial Intelligence

One of the most frustrating things about looking at the film career of Stanley Kubrick, is that he was such a perfectionist that he made so few films. The Shining came out in 1980 and it was seven years before Full Metal Jacket was released. Then it was twelve years before his final film, Eyes Wide Shut came out. And then the final credits rolled. Where was that great biopic of Napoleon that he researched? Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon? What about Kubrick’s holocaust movie? What about Artificial Intelligence?

Well, Artificial Intelligence was made, but not by Kubrick, of course. Steven Spielberg tried to make it in the style that Kubrick would have wanted, but it really feels much more like a Steven Speilberg picture more than a Stanley Kubrick picture. The brand of sentimentality of the robot boy searching for the elusive blue fairy is definitely more Speilberg than Kubrick. The high spectacle of the flesh fair scene where the robots are exploited for sport (and my favorite scene in the film) is also definitely more Spielberg than Kubrick. The film does leave a lot of unanswered questions. That's like Kubrick. Like why does the robot child and Gigolo Joe have to go to the flooded out Man-hattan to find the Professor. I know it looks visually spectacular but where the heck is that to have a place of business? Of course, I can't really explain the end of 2001 (which is sort of the point, I think) so I guess it is like Kubrick in some ways.

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ALIENS (1986) vs. AVATAR (2009)

(Monster Chiller Horror Month films 11 & 12 of 14)

Aliens vs. Avatar

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Good evening. I’m Sigourney Weaver and this week’s battle on James Cameron Movie Elimination Showdown features to my left the Alien or should I say one of the aliens from the movie Aliens and to my right is one of the Na’Vi, Na-vee, uh, I’ll just call you Avatar to simplify things if you don’t mind. Now Mr. Alien. And I admit I didn’t know you could even talk. But go ahead and state your case.

ALIEN: Well nobody ever gave me much of a chance to talk in the movies. Always trying to kill me and the like.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Well, you were trying to kill me, too!

ALIEN: I wasn't trying to kill you really. You were just so distracting in your underwear, can I really be held accountable for my actions?

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: (blushing) Flatterer.

AVATAR: I thought you were supposed to be a female?

ALIEN: It's called acting, you blue bozo!

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Anyway. State your case. Why is Aliens better than Avatar?

ALIEN: Well, we made…you and I and Cameron and a whole lot of people made and defined what a modern day action picture should be. Being a sequel actually helped us. We had the bonus of a setup before the action starts and never lets up.

AVATAR: Yes, but you do that at the expense of characters. Pretty one dimensional in my opinion.

ALIEN: Look who’s talking, Mr. "We stole our plot idea from Ferngully." And what about all that corny dialogue like (speaking formally) “You are now a son of the Omaticaya, Jakescully. You are the colors of the wind and rainbow and one with nature. a network of energy that flows through all living things, your spirit goes with Eywa.” Come on! It's Dances With Wolves on acid!

AVATAR: You’re one to talk. Why does Bill Paxton have to talk like an 80’s surfer dude in your movie? Isn’t it supposed to be set in the future?

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: OK, Avatar. Why are you better?

AVATAR: Well. Only the most amazing special effects ever. Only the biggest box office hit of all time. It’s like a beautiful dream…only it’s real.

ALIEN: With stock characters you stole from Aliens. The Latino chick that kicks ass. The weasly little dweeb who is only after a buck. Recycled characterizations, blue boy!

AVATAR: Cameron refined these characters in Avatar…took away the flaws in their characterizations and made them more interesting, like the way we updated your prehistoric special effects.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Well, you got to admit when it comes to characterization, we are dealing with James Cameron and not Paddy Chayevsky.

(Alien and Avatar both laugh)

AVATAR: And we have, of course, the lovely Ms. Weaver in our picture as well. (Turning to Sigourney) If I hadn’t already chosen a mate, I would definitely consider you even if you are one of the skypeople.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Why you’re a flatterer too, but alas, I’m afraid its too late. The votes are in and the winner is….Aliens.

(Avatar raises his hands and curses in Na’Vi)

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: I’m sorry Avatar, but you’re terminated fucker!

(SIGOURNEY WEAVER pulls a lever and a trap door opens and the Avatar disappears.)


SIGOURNEY WEAVER: Turning to the Alien. I always wanted to say that.

ALIEN: I thought your line was “Get away from her, you bitch.”

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: I’m the host of this show and I’ll use whichever damn James Cameron catchphrase I want! Do you understand?

(The Alien spreads his hands in mock surrender)

SIGOURNEY WEAVER: And speaking of The Terminator. Next week on James Cameron Movie Elimination Showdown, we have the Terminator T-800 facing off against Rose from Titanic. Ought to be quite a match up.

Good night for now and until next week…we’ll be back.

(The Alien and Sigourney Weaver wave goodbye to the audience as the screen fades to black.)

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LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2009, SWEDEN)

(Monster Chiller Horror Month film 5 of 14)

Let the Right One In

Previous viewings: None

This is my first viewing of a film dealing with teenage (preteen?) Swedish vampires. The relationship between a bullied boy and his befriending of a girl who is really a creature of the night does have its moments. I think the best moment in the film is the final scene in the swimming pool where certain characters get their comeuppance.

Would you recommend? I recommend no teenage vampire movies, unless they are Swedish. So since this is Swedish, it's a go.

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THE WHITE RIBBON (2009, GERMANY)

Catching up on some recent 1001 listings
(Film 11 of 12)

What can one say about a dark, black and white German drama that raises many questions, but answers few and is very well done but is also at times very frustrating?

How about: The White Ribbon is a dark, black and white German drama that raises many questions, but answers few and is very well done but is also at times very frustrating.

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IN THE LOOP (2009), OF GODS AND MEN (2010, FRANCE)

Catching up on some recent 1001 listings
(Films 9 & 10 of 12)

In the Loop (2009) & Of Gods and Men (2010)-It’s interesting when you go down the 1001 Movie list how you really have to shift gears as you jump from film to film. I didn’t know a lot about either of these films before viewing and they almost couldn’t have been more different from one another in tone and pacing. In the Loop is an extremely fast paced story of the British and American government officials preparing for a war. But it’s a comedy! And a pretty funny one, too. West Wing on steroids with more than a hint of Monty Python thrown in. I watched it twice just to try to catch some of the dialogue that I missed.

I then watched Of Gods and Men, a story about a group of Christian monks in Algeria and their attempts to cope with the realities and dangers of life outside their monastery. Compared to In The Loop, this film seems so slow! That’s not necessarily a bad thing, you can’t rush the scenes with monks praying, after all. Of Gods and Men just paints it canvas with a more subtle brush. A much subtler brush. One thing both of these films do have in common is that they seem stronger with repeated viewings. At least a second viewing, anyway. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get emotionally prepared for my 1001 movies double feature viewing of Pink Flamingos
and The Sound of Music.

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THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007)

Catching up on some recent 1001 listings
(Film 8 of 12)
There Will Be Blood

"I drink your milkshake!”

The story of an obsessed and totally unlikable oil man in the early part of the 20th century would have been my choice over No Country for Old Men as the Best Picture of 2007.

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BABEL (2006)

Catching up on some recent 1001 listings
(Film 7 of 12)

Babel-One of those multi-layered/intersecting story movies, which I must admit that I usually like. And I like this film too, though not as much Magnolia or Short Cuts.

In Babel, we have an American couple in distress in Morocco, their children’s nanny in distress in Mexico, a deaf Japanese teenager going through growing pains in Japan and a poor family in crisis in Morocco. Oh, what’s life without a little conflict?

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