The Farewell (2019) and The Meddler (2016)

I recently watched The Farewell, which got great reviews last year and is commended as one of the top films to see of the year. I join in on the praises; I loved this film. I read that it is a semi autobiographical film about the writer-director Lulu Wang, and that the characters in the film are inspired by her and her relationships with her family and grandmother. The film is told from the main character's point of view (played by Awkwafina) and how she deals with accepting the sad news that her grandmother has a terminal illness.

A film about that alone would be enough to hold my interest, however the film is more complex and introduces many cultural complexities. The grandmother lives in China and speaks only Chinese, and fosters a strong family pride --- the actress who plays the grandmother is really fantastic, and deserves award recognition. In the film, you learn how this family's ways are very traditional, and how things are done in a traditional way -- for example how terminal illnesses are not talked about honestly and openly, and how secrets are kept.

These are relatable issues that many Americans or those in the West can understand if they have strong ethic family ties. I have some Eastern European in my family heritage and the immigrants and first-generation families were often very traditional just as this family. I liked all of the family dinner scenes, and seeing the family dynamics. There's one scene where the grandmother is commenting on how long a young couple about to married has been dating, and says (paraphrasing), "We can't let people know they've only been dating a few months...we have to say at least 6 months to a year....appearances matter...we can't have people talk about us".

That's just like in my family how older relatives think and behave. So concerned about what people think.

Awkwafina's character (an American) challenges some of this thinking, but also is respectful and goes along with some of it to keep the peace. I think that's the challenge that we need to face sometimes when it comes to family politics. I know that's what I have to do.

Kudos to the director and cinematography; I really like her style of directing and how realistic-looking the film is. This is the kind of movie that engages me and keeps me invested all the way through.

The Meddler is another very good movie about a family, directed by Lorene Scafaria. It's also semi-autobiographical -  a mom-daughter movie because it primarily focuses on the mom (Susan Sarandon) and her daughter (Rose Byrne); the director has said in interviews that the characters and events are based on true situations of herself and her own mom, who moved closer to her in Los Angeles when she became widowed.

Susan Sarandon is great playing an Italian-American from New York - Marnie Minervini - she's more liberal than traditional -- the opposite of the grandmother in The Farewell. Marnie desperately wants to start a new life. To do new things. To experience things she's never done. She's curious about iPhones and iPads and technology and loves to talk to any stranger she meets.

The film is -- unfortunately in my opinion -- called "The Meddler"  because that's how her daughter sees her, as a meddler; Marnie come across as being a busybody always calling/texting and wanting to spend time with her....when in fact, she's just lonely. My favorite sequence in the movie is a scene where they are together in a restaurant. The camera pans across several other tables with couples on dates until finally resting on the mom-daughter's table. I liked that because it expresses how the daughter wishes they both had separate lives apart from always hanging out together. That one shot really gets the point across well.

Eventually, by the end of the movie, that does happen - the mom does "get a life", and I liked seeing the evolution of her character. I liked the cop-boyfriend character played by JK Simmons who is really charming.

Another thing that I liked about the movie that is kind of different from other "movie moms" in the mom is independently wealthy, as a widow with an inheritance. So she basically has all the money she needs to live on for the rest of her life, a situation that is different from alot of other mom characters I've seen in movies; I can't think of another movie mom character quite like this one. The movie treats the mom respectfully and doesn't criticize her for having money....rather it explores what a person can do with their life and help their community to make it a better place if one were in her situation. She's not a woman who is using her money to exploit people, to do drugs, or to gamble it away.

It's a really interesting character, and a terrific performance by Susan Sarandon; I don't know why she was overlooked for award recognition that year. This is probably one of my favorites of all her movies and all roles. It's fantastic that she got to play this part.

And well-directed, too. Even-balanced showing us the mom's and daughter's perspectives.

As for the title, it's not the best title in my opinion - should have been called "Marnie and Lori". Or "Marnie's Adventures in Los Angeles". Or something similar. I think this film has the potential to become a real classic in years to come as more people see it.

More thoughts on these films:

Cinemascope blog (The Farewell) post here

Killer of Sheep (1978) and director Charles Burnett in person

On July 26, 2019  I attended a screening of Killer of Sheep at the University of Chicago, sponsored by several film student groups. I've never seen the movie, but knew of its reputation as a landmark independent film about African American life in the 1970s inner city, and knew that it's a movie that is often shown to college students.

It was a really good film; I really enjoyed it. It's very simple, no traditional plot structure. But I love the scenes of ordinary life, centered around one family living in South Central Los Angeles. The father (Stan) works in a slaughterhouse. There are some great scenes with his wife, kids, and friends, as well as some other characters we meet for only a scene or two, but they're memorable (including some people Stan meets in a liquor store). More often than not, characters plan to do something promising, only to have their dreams shatter, which of course happens in real-life.

The director, Charles Burnett, appeared in person afterwards and talked about the making of the film; it was a college project for him that took several years to finish because of licensing rights to songs (there are alot of good songs in it). He also talked about how almost everyone in the film was one of his friends. He lived in Watts, Los Angeles in the '60s, so he was very familiar the community.

Q&A with Burnett at the University of Chicago

There was also a time of Q&A which was really interesting, too; about a dozen people had questions. One person commented that the film was reminiscent of Italian neo-realism, and asked Burnett if any films of that era influenced him. He said, yes, and mentioned that he had numerous opportunities to see a lot of international films on the college campus and elsewhere in LA. He remembered going to all of the latest film from well-known international directors, and said some of them came to his campus to speak occasionally; one was Satyajit Ray. Burnett talked more about his college days, and said that he often had discussions with his friends and classmates about what constitutes "a black film". With Black Sheep, he said he intended for it to be a film about the community for the community to see, and only expected it to be shown locally. Someone else asked him about what he thought about being part of the "New Rebellion" of black filmmakers; he said that he doesn't like labels, but he praised other filmmakers part of the movement.

Now I really want to see his follow-up movie, My Brother's Wedding. I have seen To Sleep With Anger and The Glass Shield many years ago and want to watch them again as well.

Also, I found an interesting review from the New York Times from 1978, below.

---

'Killer of Sheep' Is Shown at the Whitney: Nonprofessional Cast

By Janet Maslin | November 14, 1978

"Killer of Sheep," which opens today at the Whitney Museum, is a film to make one mindful of the difference between genuinely abstract art and iciness for its own sake.

The program notes say that Charles Burnett, the director, thinks the idea of the film "is to try to recreate a situation without reducing life to a simple plot," but his film has just enough of a story to make it taxing.

The action, which of course is hardly supposed to be action at all, revolves around a black man whose only measure of prosperity is the fact that he's well enough off to give things to the Salvation Army. He is remote and depressed. His wife is bored and sexually frustrated, and she's depressed, too.

He has two children, whom we see eating breakfast and scratching and walking around the neighborhood. He has a lot of young and reasonably attractive male friends who live with grotesquely bloated women; sometimes the men get together and fix cars, or worry.

The central character works in a slaughterhouse, hence the none-too-apt title.

To all this monotony and alienation Mr. Burnett brings an estrangement of his own.

The film consists of loosely linked glimpses of the characters' lives, punctuated by occasional cuts to the slaughterhouse. It is acted by non-professionals, who call attention to the falseness of many of the situations.

It is beautifully photographed in black and white, and very spare.

The dialogue, which is read with either insufficient or excessive emphasis by the nonactors, is often buried under a soundtrack of vintage blues, making it doubly hard to follow.

Even the slaughter of the sheep is numbingly uneventful.That may be Mr. Burnett's very point, but he makes it so studiedly that the character's estrangement from his surroundings overlaps too conveniently with the director's arty detachment from his material.

And for all its air of starkness, "Killer of Sheep" is more often arid than it is genuinely economical. Mr. Burnett obviously has a keen eye for tiny moments — the way a child pulls up a sock, the way a man's hands move on machinery — but he doesn't demonstrate the kind of coherence that might give them larger meaning.

 Nonprofessional Cast KILLER OF SHEEP, by Charles Burnett, Principal performers are Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy, and Angela Burnett. At the Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Avenue. Running time: 87 minutes.

Coco (2017)

Dia de Los Muertos is Spanish for Day of the Dead, and always is celebrated in the two days after Halloween. Originating in Mexico and celebrated around the world today, it is a multi-day commemoration to celebrate the multitude of ways the living and dead can connect --

•     by telling stories about loved ones in our lives that are no longer with us
•     by displaying their photos on an "ofrenda" (elaborately decorated altars with flowers and candles and cherished family mementos)
•     by celebrating life with delicious food, brightly colored decorations, and festive gatherings.

Examples of food that are enjoyed include "pan de muertos" (bread of the dead), which is a tasty baked sweet roll, and atole, a hot drink of masa, water, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla.

Coco is a fantastic movie that captures of the essence of why people celebrate Day of the Dead. It's an animated music-filled comedy adventure, which takes place on Dia de Los Muertos in a town in Mexico. The story focuses on young, aspiring musician Miguel who manages to "cross over" into the land of the dead; he also meets his ancestors who he knows about from the photos on his family's ofrenda and from the stories that have been passed from generation to generation. His oldest living relative is his great-grandmother Coco.

I first watched this on DVD in 2018, and now enjoy watching this movie every year or so because it not only helps me understand why families celebrate Dia De Los Muertos but also reminds me of my own relatives and loved ones that have passed away and that I miss. 

It stirs my imagination and makes me think of what the afterlife could be like. It also gives me some encouragement that injustices that aren't settled on Earth can be worked out in the afterlife, and subsequently resolved on Earth. I'm referring to the character of De La Cruz the world-beloved singer that has evil secrets that should be exposed. 

I highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it. (Available on Disney+, DVD/Blu-Ray, and may be available from your local library). 

Surrender to the Void blog here

A Slate Article here "A Gringo’s Guide to Coco"

An article from Mental Floss blog here - "11 Facts About Día de los Muertos "

Another post from Order of the Good Death here - "Your Guide to the Movie Coco"

On Golden Pond (1981)

On Golden Pond is a film that I never thought I would enjoy watching because as a young person, I never thought I could identify with the characters or story. But in recent months I've been seeking out films dealing with reconnecting with one's parents, as I've been faced with reuniting with my own birth-father after many years of estrangement (this may likely be a topic of another blog post or two in the future...). My reunion experience has been difficult for me to discuss with other family members; it was a very emotional experience. I have an older relative who has expressed disagreement with me reconnecting with my birth-father because of his abandonment of my mother and I. The difficulty I've had with communicating with certain family members has made me feel as if there's something wrong with me, and that I'm the only one who has trouble communicating with family members; this personal experience has affected me so much that I've even had to take some time off from blogging for a long time as well.

I knew of some of the main themes of On Golden Pond, including reconnecting with your elderly parents/relatives, but it's only been in recent days that I felt ready to watch the film.

The main character, Norman Thayer, played by Henry Fonda, has a cranky, stubborn, and blunt personality that rubs people the wrong way; that becomes clear as we see him interact with several characters at the start of the film. For many of us, if we meet someone like that, we might likely not want to be friends with them. However, one person who loves him dearly is his devoted wife of over 40 years played by Katherine Hepburn. Her character is very interesting and ultimately inspiring because she demonstrates by example how to have to patience with him, and we understand through her character that the Fonda character has flaws, and is not perfect. He's having memory problems, and is slowing down, and at one point almost accidentally burns their New England summer cottage down, their cottage on the lake "Golden Pond". I have relatives that live near a lake in suburban Chicago, and it's not too unlike Golden Pond, so I could imagine what life is like for the characters.

The other characters in the film all have to deal with Norman in their own way, including his daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda), who is very busy with her career in Los Angeles yet finds the time to come to visit her parents at the cottage after many years. After she arrives, Norman, always an overbearing father, makes her feel like a child again. I've felt the same way when I visit older relatives. I have a relative who is 87 and can say some embarrassing and hurtful things, and can make me feel like a child at holiday gatherings.

There's a poignant scene in the film where Chelsea has a heart-to-heart talk with her mom, saying how she wishes to be friends with her father, and wishes they could be more compatible. But her mom reminds her that Norman is a man of 80 years old, and that we need to accept him as who he is and tries to encourage her to not be so disagreeable with her past. "Life goes on", she says. "Get on with it."  It's a reminder to me when I relate to my own older family members, as their personalities are theirs and will not change.

There's also a great sequence in the film where Norman takes Chelesa's soon-to-be-stepson out on the lake to go fishing, and they have a great time trying to catch a legendary elusive fish. Norman isn't really such a bad guy after all; he's really a hero to the members of his family.

I was really amazed to learn that the film (and the play it was based on) was written by a young man (Ernest Thompson) who was in his 20s at the time. That's fascinating to me because the characters are much older, and complex.

All of the characters in On Golden Pond are ones I could either identify with or are ones that remind me of real people in my own life, and after watching the film I now feel as if I'm not alone in my familial plight. For these reasons, I consider the film to be a very inspirational one to me personally, and I hope you have a chance to enjoy it sometime too if you haven't seen it.

Quest: A Portrait of An American Family (2017)

The Rainey family 

I had a chance to watch this documentary, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, at a screening in downtown Chicago this past summer at the Siskel Film Center. The film was shot over 8 years in Philadelphia and focuses on an inner city family's music studio; the official website describes the studio as "a creative sanctuary from the strife that grips their neighborhood".  The filmmakers document a number of musical artists who work in the studio run by Christopher "Quest" Rainey and his wife "Ma Quest". Their daughter becomes a victim of gun violence during the course of the documentary's filming, which shifts the tone of the film but is never exploitative; rather, it's incredibly moving and ultimately inspiring portrait of a family's journey. 

The director and editor were present at the screening for a post-film Q&A. They said that the film will have more screenings throughout the US and even will be broadcast on public television next year.

Highly recommended if you have a chance to see it.

The film's website is here:
http://quest-documentary.com

Fiddler on the Roof (1971) on the big screen

I had a chance to watch this movie on the big screen when it played at Chicago's Music Box Theater on Christmas day 2016.  It's rare for this film to be screened; usually it's seen as corny and sentimental, and usually not as highly regarded as some other musicals like Sound of Music.

But when it came out in 1971, it was the biggest box-office hit of  the year. It was probably "the last hit musical" to be released for years, since musicals started to go out of fashion by the 1970s.

I had forgotten that the story deals with traditional marriage arrangements, intergenerational differences, the coming Russian revolution and new political ideas, Jewish persecution in Russia, and immigration to other countries.

At the end of the movie, one character asks another, "What city in America are you moving to?" The other responds "Chicago", and that got a loud cheer from the audience, which was pretty cool to be a part of.

Directed by Norman Jewison (an Oscar-winner for 1967's "In the Heat of the Night"). The cinematography is beautiful, and the sets and costumes and impressive.

Read Dawn's post about this movie from her blog

The Wolfpack (Documentary, 2015)

The 6 brothers, all cinephiles

The Wolfpack is a new documentary about how 6 brothers from NYC ( the titular "wolfpack") slowly emerge from their sheltered, zombie-like existence (they do call themselves zombies, and even dress like them for cosplay). For most of their lives, these young, bright kids are prohibited from leaving their housing project by their overprotective (and questionable) parents. The boys' only entertainment is watching movies and re-enacting them -- movies such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pulp Fiction and The Dark Knight (apparently not Hamlet, Macbeth, or anything by Shakespeare or Neil Simon).

The film also features some brief interviews with the parents, especially the dad, who loves to watch old TV shows like The Honeymooners. It's a really strange but a true story, and disturbing at times, especially when we learn that the father has been physically abusive (he took Ralph Kramden's line "Bang Zoom" too literally).

This doc feels right at home with other "reality/lifestyle" TV shows like the Kim Kardashian show or Honey Boo Boo; everything shown on camera is observational rather than investigative. The director doesn't pry too deep in their lives, nor asks difficult questions we may want to know about the family -- such as their cost of living arrangements and details about the physical abuse the mother and children had to put up with from the alcoholic father, who appears on camera briefly and envisions himself as an enlightened hippy.

One of the more interesting things about this whole story is not included in the film - the story about how the director - Crystal Moselle)- became interested in her subject matter. Apparently one day she happened to stumble upon the brothers in a park as they were acting out scenes from a Quentin Tarantino film. The family soon let her in the apartment, and she began her quest to put together a film about this quirky family. I give her credit for the film and for getting the family to appear on camera.

Hester Street (1975)

Hester Street tells the tale of a young Jewish couple's migration to New York at the turn of the 20th century.

Carol Kane is very good as the young wife torn between her traditions and modern American culture. Doris Roberts, in an excellent supporting performance, plays a neighbor in the apartment building where the couple lives (if you've only seen her in her television roles then you haven't seen one of her best performances).

The immigrant husband is played by Steven Keats, an actor who sadly passed away at a young age several years ago.

The film, shot in black-and-white with much of the dialogue in the language of the immigrants, is so authentic in its recreation of this era - at times I felt I was watching a documentary.   The costumes, music, and set design are all impressive and deserve praise.

Available on DVD. Other reviews of the film:

The Movie Night's Group Guide to Classic Film

Cinema Fanatic

Vintage Everyday

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings 

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

At the start of the film we're introduced to Jack Nicholson's character, an oil rigger who lives in a trailer park with his waitress girlfriend Rayette (Karen Black). Jack goes out drinking and fools around with other women (including Sally Struthers), while Rayette dreams of becoming a country singer.

Jack learns that his father is not in good health, so he travels to to his hometown on a road trip with Rayette.

As the movie unfolds, we learn that Jack comes from a more upper class family, and at one point in his life he was interested in becoming a pianist, which he didn't pursue.

I like how Jack's character interacts with his sister (Susan Anspach) and his father who doesn't recognize him anymore.  His brother is played by Ralph Waite.

While the film focuses on Jack's point-of-view mainly, I think Rayette is an equally important and memorable character in the film.

Her character seems to represents a life that Nicholson wants to put behind, but he doesn't know how.

The ending is open-ended and sad and leaves you wondering what will become of the characters.

I cared more about what would happen to Rayette than I did Jack's character.  I didn't like Jack's character. He may move on to pursue he dreams, but the way he treats Rayette throughout the movie is pretty awful. After all of the time he spent with his family, he still remains selfish and impulsive up until the very end. 

The movie Nashville (1975) features a character that longs to be a country singer (Barbara Harris' character); in the end of the film, she leads the entire crowd in song after a tragedy. I like to think that her character and Rayette from Five Easy Pieces are the same people. 

Another review of this movie from What I Watched Last Night

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

The Great Santini (1979) starring Robert Duvall

I like how Roger Ebert described the film in his 4-star review: "Like almost all my favorite films, The Great Santini is about people more than it's about a story. It's a study of several characters, most unforgettably the Great Santini himself, played by Robert Duvall."

At the start of the movie we learn that Duvall's character - a marine fighter pilot  - is not only a strict disciplinarian, but he's also a jokester who loves to pull all kinds of practical jokes on his comrades, such as pretending a can of soup is vomit. His nickname is "Great Santini" but it's never really explained. In this classic scene, he thinks his buddy is in the stall next to him, and his prank goes wrong ---

   

He also has a bit of a drinking problem. But as his superior officer tells him, he's a great leader, and gives him a new assignment training pilots in South Carolina where he moves with his wife and 4 children (the film is set in the 1960s)  Here's another scene with Duvall with his new squadron:

   

I also love the part where he meets his new maid, played by Theresa Merrit of the 70s TV show That's My Mama!.  She steals the scene when she declares she can take a punch just like a man and challenges Duvall to a fight. It's hilarious. There are some other funny bits in the film, such as when his daughter gives him a taste of his own medicine when she jokes that she's been impregnated by a pacifist. 

But the movie is not solely a comedy, though there are quite a few light moments. There are also some serious and touching moments, especially near the end.

The main focus of the story is on Duvall and his oldest son played by Michael O'Keefe.  This is the only other movie I've seen with O'Keefe besides Caddyshack;  I was really impressed with him in this role and all the scenes he has with Duvall - the arguments, fights, and even moments of bonding, especially when Duvall takes him out for a drink on his 18th birthday and he has a funny "drunk" scene.  I also love the scene where Duvall wakes the son up at 4 in the morning to give him his birthday gift - his old WWII bomber jacket.    

But throughout the film there is tension between the two. Duvall puts pressure on him to be the best, whether its being the best future pilot or being the best athlete on the team.  

There's a subplot in the film is about O'Keefe's black friend (Stan Shaw) who stutters and is teased by some of the local white racists.  At first I wondered if this subplot was necessary. but as I thought about it more I realized that it is meant to show real hate and its consequences. At the end of the film we realize that Duvall and O'Keefe never really hated each other, even if it feels like hate. 

With Blythe Danner (as Duvall's wife).

Robert Altman's A Wedding (1979)

Robert Altman's A Wedding is a humorous wedding satire where a blue collar girl marries into a wealthy family with mob connections.  The humor is a bit dark at times, especially when the matriarch of the higher-class family (Lilian Gish) passes away in her upstairs room of her mansion while the wedding takes place downstairs. Another scene involves a car crash.

The film is discussed by several members of the cast and crew in the book Robert Altman: The Oral Biography by Mitchell Zuckoff (2009, Random House), In the book, screenwriter John Considene remembers that Altman wanted to make a film about "The American wedding industry".  Considene and Altman created over twenty characters and numerous story arcs, carefully planned in advance.  Co-screenwriter Allan Nichols remembers, "If anything A Wedding was about gossip and how gossip spreads and how gossip hurts, and how gossip helps and how gossip kills and how gossip kills the right guy sometimes."  In the same book, Carol Burnett (who plays the mother of the bride) remembers that Altman said to the actors "Please if you have an idea for a scene, come to me with it. I want to hear it. Some of the best scenes in my movies have come from the actors' ideas". 

Altman pledged all of his profits from the film to the proposed Equal Rights Constitutional Amendment, although the profits from the film were not much.

With Mia Farrow, Peggy Ann Garner, Howard Duff, Mia Farrow, Paul Dooley, Geraldine Chaplin, Dina Merril, Lauren Hutten and Desi Arnaz, Jr.

The Good Mother (1988) directed by Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy passed away the other day at age 82; so renowned for his characterization of Star Trek's "Spock" from TV/movies that some news sources (such as CNN.com) decided to announce his passing with the headline "Actor, Poet, Vulcan, dies". "Director" should be added to the list, as Mr Nimoy directed a handful of movies, including two Trek pictures and the box office hit comedy Three Men and A Baby (1987).  The other films in his CV include the unsuccessful comedies Holy Matrimony (1994) with Patricia Arquette, Funny About Love (1990) with Gene Wilder, and  - the film I'm most curious about - The Good Mother from 1988, a heartrending drama.

Exploring such sensitive issues such as divorce, sexual harassment, and child custody, The Good Mother is not the science-fiction/fantasy film you might expect Spock would be involved with. In fact I wonder if Mr Nimoy was contractually obligated by Disney/Touchstone to direct this film after his success with Three Men.  Nonetheless, I'm sure Spock the Vulcan - ever curious about human behavior - would find the film and the issues it explores compelling.  Diane Keaton, who plays the lead, is very good as a recently divorced mother with a new lover played by Liam Neeson. Complications arise when  the lover is accused of sexually abusing her daughter and she's sued by her ex-husband for custody of the child.

I especially enjoyed seeing veteran stars Ralph Bellamy and Theresa Wright in this film; they play Keaton's wealthy grandparents who live in a lovely New England waterfont home.  My favorite part of the film is when Keaton has to explain her plight to them and asks to borrow money to pay for the legal expense (her lawyer is played by Jason Robards). Ms Theresa Wright needn't say anything - her wonderful presence alone exudes warmth, compassion, and love. Upon its initial release in 1988, critic Roger Ebert gave the film only one star in his review (Read review here), but praised the scenes with Bellamy and Wright.

The movie, overall is OK, but kind of melancholy. I think Mr Nimoy handles the subject matter sensitively and tastefully, and brings out the best in his actors, given the subject matter; Liam Neeson is especially convincing, and sympathetic.

I am interested in learning more about the making of this film, and/or any interviews with Mr. Nimoy about directing this movie. If anyone knows or has any more information, please let me know; I would appreciate any feedback!

Film legends Theresa Wright, Ralph Bellamy, and Diane Keaton in The Good Mother

Academy Award winners Diane Keaton and Theresa Wright

The Accidental Tourist (1988)

"William Hurt gives an exquisite performance as a man shattered by the death of his son, who comes out of his shell when he meets a kooky, aggressive young woman (Geena Davis) who couldn't be less his type. Finelhy wrought, extremely faithful adaptation of Anne Tyler's novel dares to take its time; may be too slow ffor some viewers, but offers many rewards." (from Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide).

I think Leonard Maltin is right, that many viewers won't like the slow pacing. But that's exactly what I love about the movie. It was such a refreshing respite from the loud, shaky-cam, crashing and GCI explosions of some recent superhero blockbusters.

Also I like the premise that the William Hurt character - Macon Leary - is a writer of travel books for business travelers. The movie starts off kind of sad, with his marriage dissolving with his wife (Kathleen Tuner), but then he meets Geena Davis' character who brings a bit of spark back into his life.

Geena Davis, as the dog trainer to Macon's dog,  won the 1988 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but her role could be considered a lead role. I love the dog in this movie, which was the same dog that was in the 1990s TV show Dharma and Greg.

Also there are some nice scenes of Baltimore (the film is set there and was filmed there).

A less-interesting (but still entertaining) subplot in the film involves Macon's sister (Amy Wright) falling in love with his boss, a book publisher played by Bill Pullman.  His sister and and his two brothers (Ed Begley Jr and David Ogden Stiers) are portrayed as being a bit more eccentric than he is.

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Nominated for Best Picture of 1988.

The Well-Digger's Daughter (2012)

Pascal (Daniel Auteuil) and his six daughters

A charming period film, set in southern France during WWI.

A saintly young 18-year old woman (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) - the title character - has an affair with a wealthy pilot, just before he is called off to war.

When she has a baby out of wedlock, her widowed father - played by Daniel Auteuil who also directed -  is determined to keep his family's honor.

Wonderful performances by the entire cast, including Ms Bergès-Frisbey, who is perhaps best known as the mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  

Beautiful music, scenery, and costumes. Highly recommended.

Language: French / Color / 1 hour, 49 minutes / Available on DVD

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film a glowing review (read his review).

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) and the sad lack of cell phones

The heartwarming 1987 John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with it's Thanksgiving theme, has become a traditional holiday film and fan favorite. This weekend, with a piece of leftover pumpkin pie, I sat down - once again - to watch the comedic genius paring of John Candy and Steve Martin, who plays a character trying to make it home to his family for the holiday. There are some very funny moments in the film; it's hard to pick, but I'd say my favorite sight gag is the one with the dog in the back of the truck.  I went to a showing of this on its opening day - hard to believe it's been 25 years now. The theater at that screening was packed with people, and it was fun hearing everyone laughing. I bet alot of them have bought the DVD or Blu Ray.  This time while watching, I noticed a few quirky things going on in the background. For example, in the beginning, Steve Martin hails a cab for the airport in New York passes by a Roy Rogers fast food restaurant, which I'm sure has been gone for at least a decade or two.  In another scene on a bus, a passenger is shown reading a magazine with Michael J Fox and Family Ties on the cover.

Martin looks up at a clock in the airport, and it's 

one of those old "flip clocks"!  Not even a digital clock 

in the airport yet! 

Poor Martin tries to call home several times using a pay phone: from a restaurant, from the airport, etc. If only he had a cell phone, he'd be able to call home more frequently, and his wife would be calling or texting, too. But then again, the movie wouldn't be as funny, would it? I imagine that if the film is ever remade, Martin's character would have to lose his phone somehow.

Another Year (2010)

I saw this movie the other night. It's great. About a London couple (Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen) and the various characters in their life.  Tom (Broadbent) is a geologist who has a few more years before retirement. He enjoys golfing with his friends and gardening with his wife (Sheen) in a communal garden (they are always bringing home vegetables) Both love to cook, so there are a number of scenes where they are cooking for friends and family. In fact, the movie is split into 4 acts divided by the seasons.  There's always a lunch or dinner scene in each act. It's pretty cool.

Ruth Sheen and Jim Broadbent are a
loving and devoted couple who make time for
family and friends

The couple have a 30-year old son. People are asking whether or not he has a girlfriend. Does he have a secret? Gerry (Sheen), a psychologist, has a co-worker (Leslie Manville) who doesn't have many friends or family, so she's always dropping by their house. She's single, lonely, and enjoys a few drinks. But does he have more serious problems? Director Mike Leigh doesn't let us know the full stories of these characters right away. We must watch the entire film. It's captivating. The characters in this movie are so real; they reminded me of my own family. And the acting seems so natural, even improvised, which is what I love about his movies Secrets and Lies, Vera Drake, and Happy Go Lucky.  Leslie Manville is just incredible in this; she won several awards for her amazing performance, including a BAFTA nomination.

Another Year is a quiet, serious adult drama, delightful and fun at times, and even heartbreaking at times.  I highly recommend it.

I saw this Monday night at the Tivoli Theater, an old-fashioned downtown movie house in Downer's Grove, IL

If you saw the movie Happy Go Lucky, do you remember the flamenco instructor?

Well the actress who plays her has a small role Another Year 

Here is a funny scene from Happy Go Lucky featuring the dance instructor.




Read another review from Mike's Movie Projector

Another blog post by Cliched Monologues

Fellini's Amarcord (I Remember) (1974)

This is Fellini's Italy as he remembers it when he was a young boy. It's an an ensemble featuring a number of interesting characters centering around teenage Titto, his friends, family and neighbors. Fellini was not a fan of the fascism of the time and we see that in character's reactions to the new developments in the government. The film is like a scrapbook with a number of humorous stories about fascism, the Catholic church, school, and family. For example, Titto has a very grouchy and temperamental uncle and a loving and devoted aunt, and they often argue. These family scenes are very enjoyable. The town has a prostitute, and we get to meet her a bit. There is also a hairdresser character, Gradisca, played by Magali Noël. She's the woman who every man has a crush on, and eventually marries in the end, in a big wedding where everyone in town is invited. There are also funny moments in the classroom and with the teachers.

I really enjoyed this movie very much. I thought of Woody Allen's Radio Days and how similar they both are, and also thought of other coming of age films that owe alot to this film. It is very lyrical and beautiful to watch, photographed by Giuseppe Rotunno the same cinematographer who shot Robert Altman's Popeye, another movie that this reminded me of.

Though much less cerebral than 8-1/2, there are a number of symbolic elements that have kept critics discussing ever since the film came out, including the famous ship scene and the peacock scene. Why do they appear in the film? Well, the ship is a grand construction of Italy (based on the real SS Rex), and is source of great pride to the villagers. The peacock, well, that's not so easy to explain. It's rare appearance suggests royalty or even a angelic spiritual presence. There are a number of wonderful moments like that in the film, including a scene showing a rare snowfall that really happened one year. I haven't heard the DVD commentary yet but plan to because there's so much to enjoy in this, and so much history as well.

Magali Noël in Amarcord

Our instructor for the course was Dr. Constance Markey, who is the co-author of the 1978 book Federico Fellini: A Guide to References and Resources and the author of the 1999 book Italo Calvino: A Journey toward Postmodernism. She has taught Italian literature and film at DePaul University for many years. During our final class discussion, she and her husband brought in two bottles of wine for us to enjoy! It was nice. She taught us a few Italian words and phrases and talked about her travels to Italy, pointing out that many of the settings in Amarcord are still as they look today; she roomed in houses just like Titto's family's house.

She also mentioned that she and her husband went to see the Venice-set The Tourist (which I reviewed the other day here) but didn't care for it much other than for the scenery. She said movies like that don't stay in her head long after the film is over, like Amarcord . I didn't argue with her about it. The Tourist for me I guess is a guilty pleasure I suppose. 

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo

Hannah And Her Sisters (1986)

This is one of my favorite Woody Allen films. It starts and begins at a Thanksgiving family gathering. But this movie is no turkey; it's a great script, and very music-filled - classical arrangements and big band sounds, including Cahn & Styne's "I've Heard That Song Before" performed by Harry James and his orchestra. (I can't hear that tune without thinking of this movie) The movie opens with a nice scene with patriarch Lloyd Nolan at the piano and matriarch Maureen O'Sullivan singing Rodgers & Hart, filling the room with happiness (It's so nice seeing them both in this film) Hannah is played by Mia Farrow, and my mouth watered as I saw her carry the huge Thanksgiving turkey to the table. It's the perfect family...or is it? Yikes, pretty soon we learn that Hannah's hubby (Michael Caine) has the hots for one of her sisters (Barbara Hershey). We also learn about Hannah's ex-husband (played by Allen) who drops by to visit the kids every now and then. Oh my, does he have problems, and so does one of his dates, which just so happens to be Hannah's other sister (Dianne Weist) - a drug addict. Now whether or not you like this film may depend on Allen's performance; he has a fairly large part. You either like his nebbish characterization or you don't. I think he's funny in this, and it's amusing seeing him frightened at every little ailment. His character is essentially the same as his schnook from Annie Hall, just a bit older, still nebbish. The most amusing scene, I think, might be the part where Hannah's loving parents fight and argue, which breaks the image we've have of them at the piano. There are lots of references to show business (Hannah is a an actress, her parents are retired movie stars, the Allen character works in television), religion (the Allen character thinks about converting to either Catholicism or Buddhism from Judaism), and of course, family matters. Oh, yes, and New York. I love how the scenes are divided by the title cards, a great Allen touch. (The title card that introduces the Allen character says it all: "The hypochondriac") Wonderful performances by all the actors, who really become these characters.

A scene outside the (former) Pageant Book & Print Shop in New York.
As I understand, the shop is no longer at this location.

Related posts:
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Matt Vs. The Academy: Hannah & Her Sisters review
Mythical Monkey: Mythical's favorite Thanksgiving movies (including Hannah)
Via Margutta 51: Clara reviews Tarzan and His Mate (with Maureen O'Sullivan)