Taking Woodstock

I just did a little time traveling, and the vehicle for my trip was a film entitled Taking Woodstock. This true story is based on the memoir of Elliot Tiber who was instrumental in finding the Woodstock Concert a new venue when its permit was revoked in Wallkill, New York. What I liked about this film is that it didn’t focus on the music or the legends that performed there. If that is what you want, there are better films. Rather, it focused on the behind the scenes aspects and the impact it had on a family who helped put on one of the most famous concerts in history in less than 30 days time.

This era was so faithfully recreated that oftentimes I thought I was watching archival footage, when one of the cast members would appear. The art department and the costumers did a tremendous job recreating the look of Woodstock. And Ang Lee used various film and editing techniques that also echoed the period. The look of this film is perfect.

After watching this movie, it is amazing to me that half a million people showed up and without proper lodging, sanitation, and with tremendous food shortages, that the concert went on with minimal incidents. Anyone who has ever been to a weekend long concert knows that what is on stage is only one part of the drama. What goes on in the audience can be just as compelling, not to mention what goes on behind the scenes, or backstage.

Besides being a time capsule for a generation, Woodstock was also used as a template for what to do and what not to do in the future. Many innovations were created to pull this event off, and many lessons were learned to help future events plan more efficiently. This concert has been copied, but never duplicated. It was a once in a lifetime happening and this film really captures its spirit.

Rating: First Run Part history, all entertainment

Beat The Heat At The American Cinematheque

There are some weeks, when there are so many good movies coming out, that you can’t decide which one to see first. And then there are weeks where nothing looks good. I hate it when that happens. Especially when the temperature is in the triple digits. So what I do, when faced with this dilemma, is seek out cinematic alternatives, and my favorite is the American Cinematheque.

This week I went to see two classic movies on Thursday night. The temperature was 110 degrees at my house and there was nothing at the local theatre that I wanted to see. So I hoped in my car, headed for Hollywood, and spent three and a half glorious hours in the air-conditioned Egyptian Theatre.

If you are smart, you’ll sign up for the American Cinematheque’s newsletter, or better yet, become a member. Between the Egyptian Theatre and the Aero Theatre, there is always something interesting to see. For more information visit: www.americancinematheque.com

Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds: violent, unpredictable, surprising, unapologetic, an ode to the films of Germany and America’s early years. This Jewish revenge fantasy offers us an alternative history, a history that might have been if our American directors had had a crack at it. Goebbels, as the Reich Minister of Propaganda, was portrayed like a studio boss. When he is persuaded to premier his latest pro-German production in a small Parisian cinema, events are put into play to take out Hitler and his masterminds in one fell swoop.

The beginning of this film reminded me of a Spaghetti Western which segued into a shot straight out of John Ford’s The Searchers. As a film buff, I enjoyed picking up on all the nods and references. But for the casual filmgoer, this film may be a bit too violent. I enjoyed the colorful characters and the intense stand-offs. I relished not knowing which way a scene would play out. Since it was not historically accurate, it could go anywhere. It was fun being surprised.

I loved Brad Pitt and his Nazi killing Dirty Dozen, yet they are only one part of this film. I also enjoyed Christoph Waltz as a good detective that just happened to be in the SS. If he wasn’t in a Nazi uniform, we might of admired his powers of deduction, but since he was using his skills to ferret out Jews and traitors, we saw his proficiency as repugnant and maniacal. It was a deliciously evil character and Christoph Waltz really stood out in this role. I also liked Michael Fassbender as the cool British undercover agent. In civilian life he was a film critic and used his knowledge of German Cinema to pose as a German officer. It was nice having a film critic as a hero for a change.

I am not a huge Quentin Tarentino fan, but of all his films, this is my favorite. It acknowledges that film is universal and that even Nazi's like a good flick. Early German film was very admirable and if it weren’t for the war, America would not dominate cinema today. European filmmaking was severely hindered during the war, which gave American film the chance to establish a cinematic stronghold. The power of film is undeniable, and cinema is truly honored in film.

Rating: First Run Even Nazi’s liked a good film

A Perect Getaway

At first I was really enjoying my Perfect Getaway. The scenery was nice, the preliminaries were pleasant, and the acting was good. But about three-quarters of the way through the film, I started getting insulted. Everything was either being explained, or telegraphed. I hate it when I figure out the twist too early. It’s like doing a 100-piece jigsaw puzzle. It’s amusing for a short while, but when it’s too easy, you don’t feel that it is worth your time.

The spoiling began for me when the screen writing character and the Special Ops character started discussing the ingredients for the perfect thriller. I thought to myself, “Oh no, let me get out my notebook. We’re going to tick off a list.” And from that point, I knew we were going to have a by the book thriller. All you had to do was pay attention, watch for the clues, and don’t get led astray by the “red snappers”. (film reference)

This film tried to be clever. But if you are going to switch things up, don’t tell us, surprise us. And don’t feel compelled to explain everything we may have missed. If we didn’t get it the first time, make us go see the film again. I feel like the filmmaker didn’t trust us to figure things out.

I really like the two women in this film. I didn’t recognize Milla Jovovich at first and I was very impressed by her performance. I also liked Kiele Sanchez. She’s a gal you’d want on your side. Steve Zahn got to exercise his acting muscles, but Timothy Olyphant got all the charisma. He plays a character you’d like to see again. This is one time when I wouldn’t mind a sequel.

Rating: Rent It Some good performances in this tropical thriller

In The Loop

I am not going to even try to summarize this film. It is a political farce involving English and American politics, and the manipulation of international policy. It is full of profanity, ill-mannered behavior, and some of the funniest lines I’ve heard in a very long time. It’s like the West Wing on crack.

Some of the dialogue reminded me of the absurdity of Dr, Strangelove, “You can’t fight in here gentlemen, this is the War Room!” This film is so over-the-top and vicious, that it isn’t for everyone. I, however, found enough zingers in it to make all the verbal abuse, somewhat worthwhile. In The Loop is a satire that will sadden some, and confirm the suspicions of others. It is our political system at its worst, and funniest.

Rating: Rent It Politics at its worst, and funniest

Adam

Adam is the story of a woman looking for truth in her life, and of a man who can be nothing but honest. Adam, played by Hugh Dancy, is a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome. Just as his father dies, a young woman, played by Rose Byrne, moves into his apartment building. Her unabashed, sincere, friendliness gets past his shy, anti-social awkwardness and by the time she realizes how deep his social limitations are, a friendship has already been formed. Her interest and curiosity encourages her to learn more about this syndrome. And as their relationship grows, she takes on the task of helping Adam get a new job and achieve more independence.

As Beth’s own life begins to unravel, Adam’s honesty becomes even more precious to her until the truth becomes too painful to bear. This is a beautiful love story, brilliantly acted, wonderfully detailed, and genuinely heartfelt. It is unsentimental in delivery and is never maudlin. It is a very moving film totally worth seeing.

Rating: Must See An unconventional love, beautifully acted

The Time Traveler's Wife

They say that love is all about timing; being at the right place at the right time is everything. How often have we met someone and the timing was all wrong? The object of our desire was already involved, or emotionally they weren’t ready. Or, maybe we were the ones that weren’t ready. When that happens, love slips away and its promise goes unfulfilled.

The Time Traveler’s Wife is the story of a couple who are in love. The woman, played by Rachel McAdams, lives her life in a linear fashion, while her love, played by Eric Bana, pops in and out of her life, throughout. He appears at different ages and with different sets of memories, and it is up to her to organize their life and make it bearable. This love story is nearly impossible, but the desire between them is so strong that they are willing to meet all obstacles.

I don’t know what the book was like, but I found this film very melancholy. On one hand you have a woman of faith, willing to make the sacrifices. And on the other hand you have a man, who loves her so much, that he’s willing to do anything to keep from disappointing her. It is a relationship built on compromises and commitments, and disappointments. And it’s a story about making the best of the time that you have. It is a timely story indeed.

Rating: First Run Romantic, but bittersweet

District 9

If I had to use one word to describe this film, that word would be transforms. This movie is all about transformations. In the beginning, a humanitarian act towards some very unfortunate aliens, transforms through greed and avarice, into an act of repression and neglect. A simple basic need like food and shelter, is transformed into a means of exploitation and manipulation. And a simple, bureaucratic man, transforms through circumstances, into a hero, when his eyes are opened by the truth. This movie is all about transformations.

District 9 is a classic example of good Science Fiction. You take a social issue, like immigration, or the creation and existence of slums, and you disguise it by making it about something else. Then when you become familiar with the story and recognize what it is really about, you are already on your way to a fresh perspective and hopefully a new world view. That is the beauty of Science Fiction.

Sharlto Copley, who plays Wikus Van De Merwe, transforms in more ways than one. The character arc that Sharlto has to go through is tremendously effective, especially for such a new and unknown actor. Director Neill Blomkamp, really puts his friend through the ringer, and his commitment to the role pays off. Sharlto Copley is a star to be watched.

As an entertainment, District 9 delivers, too. There are cool aliens, guns, explosions, and a robot battle that was much more effective than anything I saw in The Transformers. Technically, this modestly budgeted film was expertly produced, and every dollar that was spent, is evident on the screen. This film is a good summer action flick, with a conscience, and it’s definitely worth being seen. It is also a film worth discussing.

Rating: First Run Great action with a message as well, Sci Fi at its best

Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Golberg

The advertising tag-line for this movie read, “The Most Famous Woman In America You’ve Never Heard Of.” And it’s true, I’ve never heard of Gertrude Berg before. But she is credited for inventing the family sitcom and deserves her due. Before I Love Lucy and all the rest, there was Molly Goldberg and her family, hanging out of her window, dispensing her own brand of logic and wisdom to her neighbors.

Gertrude Berg, who created Molly Goldberg for radio, brought the sit-com to television after seeing a demonstration of the brand new medium at NBC. Beginning at NBC, and then eventually moving to CBS, she dominated television in popularity, second only to Amos and Andy. She was the first woman ever to win an Emmy for Best Actress.

Without giving the rest away, suffice it to say, that this woman deserves a second look. Her accomplishments were many, and in a time when most women where housewives, she wrote, produced and starred in her own TV show, as well as being a product pitchman and an entrepreneur. She truly was a remarkable woman and this film does her honor.

Rating: Rent It Gertrude Berg pioneered the television sitcom, she is a piece of television history

500 Days Of Summer

Boy meets girl is the oldest premise in the world, but with 500 Days Of Summer, the device seems fresh and new. Using an unconventional time line, we examine the relationship of a young man, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the love of his life, Zooey Deschanel. We are warned from the beginning, it does not end well.

By jumping back and forth throughout their romance, we are able to view the arc of their relationship and see how perceptions change, when looking back in hindsight. The timeline is precarious in this film, so you do need to pay attention. But the shifting pattern causes us to focus on details that we may have otherwise missed.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is sympathetic and touching as Tom Hansen. We feel his pain and share in his joy. It is easy to see yourself in him. Zooey Deschanel, on the other hand, is an unusual girl, the kind you can easily fall in love with, and then be driven crazy by. But what I loved about this movie was the sound advice given to Tom by his sister and friends. They were the voices of reason in this romance that ended in its foreseeable train wreck.

My favorite advisor was Tom’s little sister Chloe, played by Rachel Hansen. This girl was a take-charge, no-nonsense, voice of wisdom, packaged in the body of a 12-year-old girl. I loved this character. His friends were also fun, played by Matthew Gray Gubler, and Geoffrey Armend, hardly romantic experts, but thoughtful enough to give him friendly warnings in advance.

This film is refreshing, intelligent, and a lot of fun. It’s the perfect date movie, but also good for anyone who has ever been in a relationship. I highly recommend this movie.

Rating: Must See Now this, is a romantic comedy!

When Worlds Collide: The Science Of Movies

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences believes in educating as well as entertaining. That is why on Thursday, August 6, they presented a program entitled When Worlds Collide: The Science Of Movies. The evening started with a greeting by Academy President Sid Granis, who announced that he is stepping down as head of the Academy to be replaced by election on August 18th. The audience responded by giving him a standing ovation in honor of his four years of service.

The program then continued with the introduction of host Adam Weiner. Adam Weiner is a physics teacher who also writes a blog for PopSci.com and recently published a book called Don’t Try This At Home! The Physics of Hollywood Movies. Mr. Weiner began using film as a teaching tool to get students interested in physics. He would show a scene from a movie and then students would calculate the equations in oder to discover if a Hollywood stunt was physically possible. This light-hearted approach was entertaining, as well as educational. Watching the clips was also a lot of fun.

The first scene that we viewed was from the motion picture Speed, where Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock jump a bus over a 50 foot gap. After doing the math, Hollywood Special Effects Coordinator, John Frazier came up and explained to us how the stunt was really done. The amazing part is that this was a relatively low budget film, so they really did jump a bus. It was also amazing when we were told that Keanu Reeves did his own stunt work. According to the math, in order to jump a bus in real life you would need a steep incline, over 2% and a speed of 78 miles per hour, but any head winds would spell disaster. For the actual stunt they used a Kicker Ramp, a 20% incline and a reinforced suspension on the bus, with a shorter gap. It was all Hollywood magic.

Other Hollywood guests of the evening included the coordinator from The Bourne Supremacy, Dan Bradley, who verified that the stunts were all real, but with important safety features. Also available was Todd Hallowell (Apollo 13), Robert Legato (Titanic), Shane Mahan (Iron Man), Scott Stokdyk (Spider Man 3), and Matt Sweeny (The Fast & The Furious). We were intrigued with stories about the Vomit Comet, from Apollo 13, a very bad accident on XXX, and was brought to tears of laughter on the ridiculous science of Armageddon. We were also informed when Hollywood got it right like on 2001: A Space Odyssey, or when technology may catch up, like on the flying suit of Iron Man.

All in all, it was an entertaining and educational evening, celebrating the art of movies and science. I am fascinated by the science involved here, so maybe I’ll have to go out and buy the book. But more than that, I want to see all these films again. Especially Speed and Apollo 13. Now that I know how the weightlessness was achieved, I want to go back and see if I can tell the difference in each scene, from the real weightlessness shots done in space, and the scenes done here, back on earth. Seeing 2001, Apollo 13 and Armageddon side by side, Armageddon really makes you laugh. At least the film was entertaining.

Julie And Julia

Two women, over forty years apart, are floundering in government jobs, trying to decide what to do with their lives. Two husbands, both supportive and nurturing, are asking their women, “What do you love? What do you really like to do?” Both answers centered around food.

The first woman, the wife of a diplomat, found herself in Paris with nothing to do. When asked what she loved, her answer was, eat! So to occupy her time, she enrolled in a French cooking school and eventually the Cordon Bleu. Taking her passion and competitive nature with her, she threw herself into the art of French cooking and then turned around and taught the art to other American wives. Realizing that there were no French Cookbooks published in the English language, she partnered with two like-minded French women and the Mastering The Art Of French Cooking was born. That woman was Julia Child.

Over 40 years later, a woman living in Queens, New York, is frustrated that her dream of being a writer has been derailed. With the encouragement of her husband, she decides to start a blog recreating all of Julia’s 524 recipes in 365 days. The blog leads to an article and the article leads to a book. Julie And Julia, by Julie Powell, is published.

Meryl Streep plays Julia Child and Stanley Tucci plays her supportive husband, Paul. Meryl’s Julia is larger than life, very tall, and a force to be reckoned with. Just short of being a character, Meryl’s Julia was fun, humorous and a bit over the top. At times you wished that the entire movie was based on her life. But upon reflection, that may have been too much. Having the second story, focusing on Amy Adam’s Julie Powell, added warmth to the film and complimented Julia’s tart nature. Like adding sugar to lemonade, one ingredient without the other would have been unpalatable. But together, you have a nice refreshing mix. That is the way I felt about this film.

Chris Messina is winning as Julie Powell’s husband Eric. His job was to put things in perspective and to diffuse the situation when things got out of control. My only complaint about this film is that both husbands were too good to be true. Once again, Hollywood has provided me with an unrealistic image of what to expect from men. Oh, if it were only true.

I recommend Julie And Julia. I really liked the alternating story lines and I liked the underlining message as well. When you do what you love, even when it doesn’t pay, you come out a better person for the effort. Here’s to us all finding our own bliss. Bon Appetite.

Rating: First Run A delicious recipe of fun

Funny People

In college I dated a comedian. I was attracted to him because he cracked jokes in class, he was fun, and he never seemed to take things too seriously. I was a very serious girl in school. I was unhappy at the time, and I really wanted to lighten up. So, we started dating. But after a couple of months, he started to show his other side. Brooding, insecure, with a lot of pain underneath all those funny lines. I learned very quickly not to look to others for the joy in my life.

Funny People, like my true life experience, shows us both sides of a comedian’s world. There’s the laughter, the fun, the manic energy, the perks of being famous, but the other side of the coin is much darker. This story has been told before, in various other films, but I feel that this movie is very nicely balanced. It gives us a realistic look at the lives of stand-up comedians.

If you go into this movie expecting a broad Judd Apatow comedy, you will likely be very disappointed. It is more of a finely crafted character study showing us the reality of life as a comedy star. Adam Sandler plays a role very much like himself, and how it’s extremely difficult to go out in public without wearing your funny man mask wherever you go. No matter how you are feeling, or what you are going through that day, when you are a comedian people expect you to be able to, “Say something funny,” right on cue. This can be very depressing for a comic.

I really liked this movie. I felt that it gave us a nice portrait of what it’s like to be a comedian and work in show business. And I also feel that it did a very good job of striking the correct balance between humor and pathos. Adam Sandler did an excellent job in the role, although he’ll probably get very little credit for it because the part was so much like himself. Seth Rogen was also touching as the aspiring comedian who becomes George Simmon’s personal assistant. He vulnerable and believable in the part.

As far as comedy goes, there is plenty of it, and lots of cameos added for good measure. Eric Bana is strangely funny as a Laura’s always traveling husband. And Leslie Mann plays Laura, the girl that got away, who is thrust back into George Simmon’s life when he goes searching for answers and meaning. Acting with her true-life daughters, my favorite scene is when she is sharing a video tape of her daughter singing a song from Cats. The look on her face when George gets bored and checks the messages on his phone says it all. Leslie Mann has quickly become one of my favorite comedic actresses.

As I mentioned before, don’t go in to this film expecting Knocked Up or The Forty Year Old Virgin. This is a different kind of film. If anything I hope it will give you pause to think. The next time you spot your favorite funny man in public, take a moment to read the situation, before you grab your camera, or yell out your favorite catch phrase. Remember that comedians are people too, with family, lives and drama of their own. They love to entertain and make people laugh, but give them a break, especially when you catch them in public.

Rating: First Run A well rounded dramatic comedy