Visiting Arlington Cemetery (Arlington Virginia, USA)

Last month I went on a work-related trip in the Arlington/Washington DC area, and had an opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery, spending about 3 hours on a Sunday morning there before having to catch my plane back home. It was my first time visiting.

At Arlington, soldiers from almost every American war and military battle are buried there, including well known  leaders such as General George S Patton.





Some well know movie legends who served in the military are buried there, including Lee Marvin, Charles Durning, and Jackie Cooper. Also buried there are actresses Constance Bennett and Phyllis Kirk, whose husbands were veterans.

I did not have a chance to visit all of their graves (that might have taken all day to do), but I did see the grave of Audie Murphy, who was the most decorated soldier in WWII, and also acted in the autobiographical film of his life To Hell and Back.

Some Presidents of the US are buried there including John F Kennedy. I got to see his grave; next to it is an eternal flame. Nearby his brothers and father are buried there as well. Here are some additional photos.



Overall it was a very emotional and inspiring experience, and I recommend everyone visit if they are ever in the area. Plan for at least a half day or a day, and plan on lots of walking!

The theme to Jurassic World

If you have seen Jurassic World, what do you think of the music? Did you like the new theme by Michael Giacchino? As I watched the movie again for a second time the other day, the theme really impressed me. Sure, it's no match against the original, iconic Jurassic Park theme by John Williams, but I think it's good in its own way.

The music of James Horner

L-R: Will Jennings, Celene Dion, James Horner with a well
deserved Oscar

Yesterday afternoon I saw a headline that said James Horner was missing after one of his planes crashed...I didn't want to believe that he really died, But today it's been confirmed that he died in the crash, according to The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times and other sources, and I'm very saddened by the news. Mr Horner created some of the most beautiful music of the past 40 years. Just listen to some of his scores and you'll be swept away. Everyone knows the music of Titanic, but there are so many others that are absolutely unforgettable.

• Avatar 
• Krull
• Cocoon
• Aliens 
• Glory 
• Testament
• Searching for Bobby Fischer
• An American Tale 
• The Rocketeer
• Field of Dreams   (my favorite James Horner score)
• The Land Before Time  
• Willow
• Jumanji
• Sneakers
• The Name of the Rose
• The Journey of Natty Gann
• Apollo 13
• A Beautiful Mind 
• The Pelican Brief
• Braveheart
• The New World
• The Dresser
• Uncommon Valor 
• *batteries not included
• The Spitfire Grill
• Star Trek II / Star Trek III

These are just a few of his film scores, a tremendous legacy, plus 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, and 5 Grammys.  I'm sure he would have had many more years of composing ahead. Here are some of my favorite tracks:

A Beautiful Mind "A Kaleidoscope of Dreams"

Glory: "A Call to Arms"

The Rocketeer "Takeoff"

The Land Before Time "Book of Landscapes"

Field of Dreams "The Cornfield"

Batteries Not Included "Hamburger Rhumba"

Titanic "Southampton"

Minnie and Moskowitz (1972)

I enjoyed this movie very much. It begins by introducing us to two characters and follows a day or two in their lives. They are both single and appear to be in their mid-late 30s, which is my age range so this struck a chord with me.

The first is Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassell); who is a single guy working as a valet. When he's off work he likes to have a drink or two at the bar.

Then Minnie (Gena Rowlands); she spends her time watching old movies on the big screen. She's also in a bad relationship and disillusioned about love and romance.

The two eventually meet, and the rest of the movie we see their relationship form. Them film feels so realistic the way it's filmed, and the dialogue feels so genuine and real. Great performances, a great Cassavetes film.

Roger Ebert's 4-star review from 1972

Magic in the Moonlight (2015), The Help (2011) and Birdman (2014)

The first movie I ever saw with Emma Stone was in an OK 2009 Matthew McCaunaughy comedy called Ghosts of Girlfriends past where she plays a "ghost" version of Matthew's first girlfriend - a nerdy 90s teen.  Her character was funny and one of the best things about the movie. Easy A (2010) was her next film which I enjoyed too, and found some of the gags to be hilarious.

She co-stars in Woody Allen's last film Magic in the Moonlight, which came out last year (2014). I enjoyed this movie, especially  all the period sets and costumes. Stone really impressed me in this movie as the clairvoyant who may or may not be a fraud; I thought she was very appealing and likable. I liked Colin Firth in it too, and though he and Stone were sort of cute together, even though he is about 25 years older. Still, it reminded me of the Cary Grant movies of the 1960s.

Then I watched The Help (2011) for the first time early this year, and also enjoyed that film. Stone is the glue that holds the film together - she is as a young writer documenting the life of maids in the American South of 1963. Octavia Spencer is great and so is Bryce Dallas Howard, even though her character is so racist. But the glue holding all of the stories together is Emma Stone, and she has some heartbreaking emotional moments when she learns more about the maid who raised her (Cicely Tyson).

The next movie I watched with Emma was Birdman, which won a bunch of awards earlier this year. Her big scene in the movie comes when she has a verbal fight with her dad (Michael Keaton),

but later is shown bringing him flowers when he's in the hospital, and then looking out the window to what--I have no idea. I suppose people will be talking about that for ever.

The latest movie to feature Emma is Aloha (2015), which was released a few weeks ago but I have still not seen it; she has a supporting role in it.

Her next film is Irrational Man (Woody Allen's new film), and she co-stars with Joaquin Phoenix (I don't care for him too much).

Article Link: abandoned park where "Jurassic World" was filmed

Here's another thing I need to pay closer attention to the next time I see Jurassic World - the sets for the park --- I didn't realize they filmed in that abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans.

Here's the article from Wired:

http://www.wired.com/2015/06/jurassic-world-six-flags-new-orleans/

So now when I see the movie again, I need to pay closer attention to several things I missed:

- The sets for the park
- Mr. DNA's cameo
- Jimmy Buffet's cameo
- Which raptor is which
- The arms on the I-Rex (they're supposed to be much larger than the T-Rex's)


Maybe I will see it in 3D next time. Did you see the movie yet? What did you think? Did you notice any of these things I missed?

Le Plaisir (1952) directed by Max Ophuls

Translated into English, "Le Plaisir" means "The Pleasure".

The film is a compilation of three short stories, and features a fine cast of French actors: Pierre Brasseur, Danielle Darrieux, Jean Servais, Simone Simon, and Jean Gabin.

According to the Criterion website, the film "pinpoints the cruel ironies and happy compromises of life with a charming and sophisticated breeziness."

Story 1: Le Masque (The Mask): Takes place in a dance hall. A rubber mask reveals an old man who loves to dance.

Story 2: Le Maison Tellier. (The Tellier House) A madame by the name of Tellier closes her brothel for the day and travels to the countryside with her workers for a Catholic mass. Meanwhile, a Jewish girl is touched by the serenity of the service.

Story 3:  Le Modele.(the model)  An artist meets Simon Simone in the Louvre and falls in love.

Fluid camerawork by cinematographers Philippe Agostini and Christian Matras.
Written by Guy de Maupassant. Directed by Max Ophuls.

Jurassic World (2015) Review + Spoilers

Attention Guests and Visitors: This review contains revelations about a motion picture that could potentially affect your theatrical experience (AKA "spoilers").  Read at your own risk.

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I went to see Jurassic World last Thursday night at Hollywood Blvd (dinner + movie theater). and had a good time. Overall I enjoyed the movie...it was neat to finally see a Jurassic movie where the theme park is open to the public. Been waiting 22 years for that! Also one of the actors/characters from the first movie is back - the Asian scientist (forgot his name) who worked in the lab -- he's still there.

And got a kick out of seeing some of the "new" dinosaurs  brought in this time around such as the gigantic whale-like dino who performs for the crowd by jumping out of the water like Shamu, splashing everyone. And then there's a huge new dino that is a cross between a T-Rex and something else even meaner and nastier than the original T-Rex in the 1993 movie (of course he is released from his cage and terrorizes everyone and everything in the park). Those two dinos "meeting" face to face in the end of the movie was the best part! 

The trailer didn't show Vincent D'Onofrio, so seeing him in this was sort a pleasant a surprise. The minute he shows up I knew he was a goner. You can't tease a raptor and expect to live.  I liked the two child stars of the movie - one kid about 10 and the other about 14 or 15. Of course they had to make at least one of them be a dinosaur geek; he had a bushy haircut like a kid from the 1970s. When did that come back in style? Oh well it gave him some personality at least. And I liked how the other kid could care less about dinos. There's a funny scene where the younger kid catches the older brother smiling at a pretty girl in the park and he says to him "what good is it to just stare at them?".

At first, I thought the park was going to be like Pleasure Island from Pinnochio with the entire island filled with kids, but it turned out that they are there to meet their aunt who works at the park (and supposedly got them free passes), played by Bryce Dallace Howard, who was nasty in The Help.  I would have liked to have seen her character from The Help get eaten by dinos. I couldn't believe she was the same actress. She was OK; I could imagine her in a rom-com one day. She has good chemistry with the male lead Chris Pratt and their banter is kind of funny. The only thing that got me rolling my eyes was seeing her walk and run around the park all day in her high-heels. Come on! At least change into some gym shoes at some point. The parents in the movie pretty much only show up in the beginning and ending. It might have been fun if one of those actors were played by the kids from the original film. But they got Judy Greer and one of the actors from the TV show The Office (don't know his name but he played the CEO I think).  

When the kids get to the island, they expect to meet their aunt, but she's too busy "working" with the head of the park, who's played by the adult "Pi" in the movie The Life of Pi. He's pretty shady, and he dies a good death when his chopper crashes into the "aviary" filled with flying dinos. One of the nerdy guys from the TV show New Girl plays a nerdy tech guy in the park, and he's sort of the Sam L. Jackson role from the original except he doesn't die. He's got an oddly nostalgic fascination with the "original park" - the Park from the first movie that never saw the light of day.  

One of my favorite parts in the movie is when the two brothers ride the spherical glass tram ride through the park, and have to watch an intro video hosted by Jimmy Fallon.  That tram was cool and I loved how the dino stuck his claw in it and how the cell phone vibrated as they were upside down. That was pretty cool. In one scene the heroes mourn the death of a brontosauraus which is  kind of melancholy but I think it was there to show how nasty the giant T-Rex hybrid can be when he is on the loose.  

Hmmm. who else did I recognize? Can't think of anyone else, except there's the aunt's "assistant" who is supposed to chaperon the kids, but she loses them. She kind of looked like Megan Fox with a British accent, and I liked how she got her just desserts at the end, payback for losing the kids - some giant pterodactyls fly in and grab her and throw her in the water.  

And then, the grand finale. Eveyone in the theater cheered when the T-Rex came onscreen. The hybrid monster and a T-Rex - battling one-on-one like in a Godzilla film. It was epic. And the raptors jumping all over the hybrid. Classic. Who would have thought the T-Rex would turn out to be the good guy?

Oh, and the BEST line in the movie is when the female announcer on the PA says, “Due to a containment anomaly, all guests must take shelter immediately!”

Dumb fun. Recommended only if a fan of the other Jurassic movies. Or monster movies. 

Three stars out of four. 

Boris Karlov in The Walking Dead (1936)

Not to be confused by "The Walking Dead" TV show.

In this classic horror-gangster film (in glorious black and white), Boris Karlov plays a man recently released from prison.

As soon as he gets out, he is framed by a group of gangsters.

He's then then wrongfully convicted and then executed for murder.

Meanwhile, a zealous scientist (Edmund Gwenn) wants to experiment on the body to see if he could bring him back to life. He must have seen Frankenstein too many times.

Well guess what?

Boris does come back to life, and he slowly regains his memory. Not only that, he also seeks out those who framed him.

One by one, the gangsters are confronted, and get their just desserts.

Available on DVD.

Read a review here at the blog Just a Cineast

Midnight Express (1978) and Brokedown Palace (1999)

I recently heard a podcast interview with Billy Hayes as the guest. Billy wrote the book "Midnight Express" in 1977 about his incarceration in a horrific Turkish prison in the early 1970s.

In the interview, he talked about a new book with all of his letters he wrote from prison, which sounds interesting. He also explained how the actual escape in the film is different from the real escape. I couldn't remember how the film ended (I last saw it in 1999), so I decided to watch the 30th Anniversary DVD, a special edition which has some really good special features about the making of the film and interviews with screenwriter Oliver Stone and director Alan Parker. They talked at length about why they made the changes they did from the book.

In Express, Brad Davis plays Billy. Once he gets caught in the Turkish airport with marijuana taped to his stomach, and you start to hear "The Chase" by Georgio Moroder, everything goes downhill from there: chased, beaten, raped, tortured, and more for five years before finally escaping. It's interesting that the movie isn't all about the escape. It's really about survival in the prison when you don't deserve to be there, not unlike Shawshank Redemption. It also makes you think of how unjust legal systems are, another theme of the film.

John Hurt and Randy Quaid give exceptional performances as Billy's friends in prison. And Paul L Smith is a brutal guard; I can see why he was the perfect choice to play Bluto in  Robert Altman's Popeye (1980). And you can't forget the other guard, Rifiki played by Paolo Bonacelli.  These two should be the Top 100 of the meanest screen villains of all time.

There are so many great scenes in this film, especially when Billy's dad and girlfriend come to visit him and try to get him out.

I remember seeing Brokedown Palace back in 1999 and remember thinking how it had been influenced by Express. Today Brokedown is almost a forgotten film, but an interesting watch if you are a fan of Claire Danes or Kate Beckinsale.

The Past / Le Passe (2013)

The Past (2013) is one of the best films I have seen in the past 5 years. It is a compelling domestic drama from the same writer-director of A Separation (Asghar Farhadi), another superior film from 2011.

It stars Berenice Bejo who was so good playing the silent film star "Peppy Miller" in The Artist. Here, she is a modern woman - a pharmacist - living in a Paris suburb with two young daughters from a previous marriage. Her oldest teen daughter is moody and temperamental, critical of her mother and her boyfriend - his and Bejo's relationship is complicated because he has a wife in a coma and a young son. More of his story is revealed as the movie progresses.

Entering the picture (and complicating matters further) is Bejo's 2nd husband; in town to finalize their divorce, he still has feelings for her and the step-daughters.

Bejo is excellent in this part, so believable as a working mom caught in a web of deception. She won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. The cinematography is outstanding, too.

All of the performances are excellent, especially those by the young actors. The DVD features a  making-of film showing how the actors rehearsed intensely with each other. The film also shows how the interior set of the house was built, and is fascinating to watch.

In French with subtitles.

Read more about this movie from:

Leonard Maltin blog
Surrender the Void