Too Much of a Good Thing
There’s so much to like about
Prime, but overall, it just doesn’t come together in a way that makes for a completely compelling movie. A great setup—a May-December romance complicated by the fact that the parties are linked through a therapist/mother—doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a great movie. This is the problem.
The largest problem is something that might not have seemed like a problem on paper—Meryl Streep. She’s just too damn good. When she is onscreen, everything around her lights up and moves with a brighter spring. She brings great comic depth to a comedy that doesn’t have many funny moments. She also helps root the film with a central conflict that feels authentic and interesting.
Unfortunately, she’s so good at her job that when she’s not onscreen, the energy of the film seems to wane and dissipate, thereby leaving the audience to feel restless and irritable. (At least that’s how many in the audience were reacting this evening when I saw it.) It’s not a bad movie. It’s just not the exciting morsel the title promises.
Woo-Hoo!
Entertainment Weekly is reporting that
Darren Aronofsky (
Pi,
Requiem for a Dream, and the forthcoming
The Fountain) is going to direct an upcoming episode of
Lost. Apparently, Aronofsky became a fan of the show while filming
The Fountain.
The visual genius' episode will presumably air during May sweeps.
Better Late Than Never
There's fashionably late and then there's so late that you should be ashamed of yourself. The latter is what I feel about
Serenity. I can't believe that it took me almost an entire month to see this little gem of a movie.
I guess first, I shouldn't call it little since it's a significantly budgeted film. Second, it's not like I should be completely surprised since
Serenity comes from the brilliant mind of writer/director
Joss Whedon. While I might not ever bow to Whedon, I know to completely defer to his brilliance. Unlike most creators of genre television, he imbues his worlds with just the right amount of hope, intelligence, and pain--whether it be mortal, physical, spiritual, or emotional. Why I expected anything less from in his big screen directing debut, I'll never know.
Nevertheless, I was stunned at
Serenity. Expecting a fun little film, I wasn't ready for the genre-smashing hybrid that had me squirming in my seat and then fighting back tears. It was one of the more exhilarating movies I've experienced in a while, partially because it was a complete surprise.
For those unfamiliar with
Firefly, the TV series the movie sprang from, it's about a group of misfit smugglers in space. The captain (
Nathan Fillion) and first mate (
Gina Torres) of the ship fought together in some kind of civil war and are now happy surviving on the outskirts of civilization. Their attempt to stay below the radar is compromised when they bring Dr. Tam (
Sean Maher) aboard with his peculiar sister, River (
Summer Glau). It turns out that The Powers That Be want River because of her psychic gifts and are willing to use any means necessary in order to recover her.
I don't know how someone unfamiliar with the series would react to the movie. While I wasn't the biggest fan of the show, I did find some of the characters interesting, particularly Dr. Tam's selfless love for his sister, and
Alan Tudyk's self-deprecating Wash. Whether it was the fact that I was suffering through Joss withdrawal or the writing was just sharper, or everything felt more fully realized on the big screen, I don't know, but the film felt more in focus, than any single episode of the series. To quote
Sheryl Anderson, it was simply "higher and faster." And THAT, made it possibly the best genre film I've seen in a long time.
And apologizes to
Joss Whedon. I won't doubt or dilly-dally again.
This Time Around
There's something inherently fascinating about the South. Maybe it's the fact that not everybody feels the need to wear
designer watches or drive designer cars. There aren't a lot of billboards advertising a
VIOXX class action lawsuit, nor are there people trying to talk to you on a street corner about
debt consolidation. It's a charming place that is all too frequently depicted as a backwards, hillbilly, redneck, Confederate flag-loving boondocks that doesn't move along with the times.
Thankfully,
Elizabethtown,
Cameron Crowe's latest film presents a vision of the South that is rarely seen. Most of the film takes place right outside of Louisville (Lew-a-vill), in a contemporary little suburb that highlights the best the South has to offer: family, great cooking, Southern hospitality, quirkiness, and charm. Crowe shows America what makes the South a special place to millions of Americans, as well as the gestation place of some of America's greatest literary ideas.
Unfortunately, unlike many of his other films, Crowe gets tmilieuleu right, but the mechanics don't completely work. The film is about Drew (
Orlando Bloom), a young man who has financially ruined an enormous multi-national company, so he decides to kill himself. Before he can, he finds out his father is dead. He has to return to his father's home in Kentucky to retrieve his body and bring it back to his mother and sister in Oregon. On his way, he meets a perky flight attendant who tries to win his heart, but in the process of doing so, confuses him. But he's enamored with her enough that he goes on a cross country road trip in search of the answer to a spiritual quest she sets him upon.
Sounds like a lot of good ideas, right? Add Crowe's ability to write fully realized, thrdimensionalnal characters, his love for all music that is great (and new to me), and you'll have brilliance, right? You'd think, but unfortunately, you instead get a film that's not as good as the sum of its parts.
First, and foremost, there's a lot to like in
Elizabethtown
and even what doesn't work is still going to be worlds better than
Doom,
Into the Blue or
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. The biggest problem with the film is that there are too many movies in this one. It's great to encounter a film that's overly ambitious, and any of the ideas in this film would work and be a great movie, but unfortunately, they're not all meant to be in one film. As they exist, so much is condensed into highlight and beats that it's hard to completely feel the depth of every story.
The second problem is with Drew. Others have tried to blame Bloom for the failings of the film, but his performance is really not the problem. The inherent failing is the fact that Drew is completely passive throughout the entire film. He doesn't do anything throughout the entire film except react to people and events that occur around him. Instead of being a willing participant in any of these events however, he watches everything occur, but remains inert, unaware of everything changing. This is problematic because he doesn't serve as a driving force. The story is only moved by the people on the outside, which keeps Drew from connecting with the audience, thereby making the story feel additionally disjointed and confused.
Hopefully, this is just a confusion and experience of growth for Crowe. If a perfect world, he'll pick up these pieces and keep on moving--further South.
Conspiracy of the Fates
Why are the Fates conspiring against me? Why is it so hard for me to go see
Serenity
? Tried to go last night, but it wasn't showing. Went to see
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
instead. It was--eh. Danny Elfman's music was a problem. A misstep in an otherwise great career.
I've sat down to write my thoughts on
Elizabethtown
three times. And I haven't gotten past the first paragraph. I will get it done soon!
You Know You're Not in Kansas When...
People on the West Coast are sitting around, talking about the
winners of the Powerball lottery and somebody mentions a
U.S. Senator,
Judd Gregg, wins the lottery. You mention that he's a Republican from
New Hampshire and everyone looks at you like you're a freak. Everyone marvels at the fact that you know all the Senators. You just look at them and realize things inside the Beltway really might be different from things in La-La Land.
The New John Ford?
Is
Curtis Hanson the new
John Ford?
That was the question I was asking myself while watching
In Her Shoes this weekend. Like Ford, Hanson is not a traditional writer/director. In fact, according to
IMDB, the only thing he’s written in the last few years he’s received WGA credit on is
L.A. Confidential. However, like John Ford, Hanson has entered a stage in his career where he consistently makes great movies—sometime from scripts that are average or just slightly above average.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle;
8 Mile;
The River Wild—all genre films that are far superior to what they should be—because of Hanson’s directing choices. His films consist of real characters that come alive and bleed off the screen. They never feel constrained by the walls constructed by a projector.
Sure, there are other directors since Ford that have done this successfully—
Lumet,
Robert Wise, etc., but there’s something about Hanson’s diversity and approach that makes his work continually feel fresh and re-affirming.
As for the movie itself, it’s a fun, yet moving piece about the bonds of family. Sure, some people will call it a “chick flick” and that’s probably because
Mark Feurestein has the most significant male role. (And I’m sure most of America would then ask, Mark who?) Still, this film is much more about the things that remain unsaid with someone who is so incredibly close to you that you can’t imagine life without them.
Despite
Cameron Diaz’s top billing,
Toni Collette really is the star of the movie, proving that being an excellent actress is sometimes more important than being beautiful. Collette continues on her “spinster” characterization she so nailed in
Muriel’s Wedding, but here, under Hanson’s direction, she gives her character a little more urgency that provides the film with serious dramatic thrust. Matching Collette toe to toe in the acting department is
Shirley Maclaine as Ella, the grandmother to Diaz and Collette’s sisters. Both actresses provide the film with energy and gravitas that a story this seemingly lightweight needs.
Francine Beers turns in a touching and quite amusing supporting performance as one of Ella’s friends at the “retirement community for active seniors.”
As for Diaz, unfortunately, her character is the weakest link in the entire production. Her Maggie does little for the first two thirds of the movie save for getting drunk, making mistakes, and wearing a bikini well. Diaz is able to do all with aplomb, but, none of those are necessarily the requirements that make a performance that memorable.
While
In Her Shoes isn’t perfect, it’s still a beautiful piece that is worlds better than almost anything out right now (except for
A History of Violence and maybe
Proof). But honestly, if solid, heart-felt story-telling this is the definition of “chick flick”, cluck cluck.
Things I Learned This Week
Things I Learned This Week:
- Alias has no shame regarding recycling plots
- If you pretend to sit on a four year old’s head, it can still make him cry
- My mother actually knows a little bit about pop culture
- Not enough people know who Daniel Craig is, so therefore they aren’t familiar enough with how rico freakin’ suave he is. Therefore, they know nothing about what kind of class he’ll bring to role of 007
- Denny’s can actually be a conducive place to write.
- Some people will just ignore you over IM, even if they havent’ seen you for months
- Not everyone in advertising knows the perceptions of his/her career demographic
- There are cheesecakes out there that contain 99% of your daily recommended saturated fat.
- A movie with a message can also be entertaining
- Sheryl Anderson rocks! (I knew that already, but I’m constantly being reminded of it all the time.)
Two Worlds Collide
So my "real" world and
Ally McBeal world collided this afternoon when I went to lunch with some co-workers. We walk in Johnny Rockets and in under 3 seconds, I spotted David E. Kelley just chatting it up with some of his friends in a little booth.
We ended up sitting caddy-corner to him. We were so close, I could've reached out and touched someone if I'd wanted.
But I didn't.
That gives me hope that if I ever see Mrs. Kelley, I might not do something to get arrested.
And in the lead...
So
Veronica Mars pulls ahead with the "Best Show this Season" title so far after it's confident quality smackdown of
Lost last night.
Not that
Lost was bad, but last night was a weaker episode that puttered around for a long time without going much of anywhere. Apparently, the writers think that everybody loves Hurley, which means that a lot of Hurley doing nothing equates a good episode. Not to completely deride the episode--the ideas were there. They were good. (Just why has nobody tried to use some
gps navigation to find these people?) The idea of Hurley seeing a connection between his role in food distribution and his pre-lottery life were good. But his story just didn't move forward enough to give the episode the momentum it needed. Still, there were nice moments--which surprisingly all revolved around a recurring, but not main character--Rose. I find it somehow confounding that we don't see more of her. As much as Jack and Locke are the intellectual battles of the island, Rose is its heart and soul. She is the one that moves based on faith, love, and feeling--unlike any other character there. So, that's why I think meeting her husband was such a powerful moment. We were able to meet the guy lucky enough to be married to her. Forget the Hurley-centered episode. Give us a Rose-centered episode!
So the misstep of
Lost
just got trounced by a quick-paced and very moving episode of
Veronica Mars. While all the episodes of
Veronica
have been outstanding this season so far, last night' was the strongest. In it, we found out that Veronica's life might be in danger, several people died as a result of her exposing Lilly's murderer, and Wallace's mom might not be who she claimed to be. Additionally, poor little Beaver Casablancas just can't win with his dad. Though he thought he was helping his dad (who obviously doesn't care about Beaver nearly as much as the elder son, Dick), by exposing his new wife's infidelity (with Veronica's ex-boyfriend), he accidentally ended up setting in motion a series of events that brought around his dad's financial downfall. So now, his dad is on the run and Beaver's going to be stuck with his new trophy wife stepmom running the household--that probably will be bankrupt as soon as the SEC gets going.
Emotions were high, taut, and profound. For multiple characters. We continued to learn things about all of them, including Wallace's little crush that clearly does not play well with Veronica. It might sound like a little much, but last night's episode is a model of pacing, plot, and character. Score one for Rob Thomas Productions.
And if you're not watching
Veronica
. That's what TIVO, VCRs, or multiple TVs are for. And now that
ABC has announced you can purchase
Lost
off of
ITunes, there's no excuse not to be watching
Veronica Mars
. (And remember, most UPN affiliates are re-airing the show during the weekend.)
Weekend Violence
Europeans frequently talk about what a puritanical culture we are that embraces violence, but shies away from even the slightest whiff of sex. There’s probably a lot of truth to that Manifest Destiny has been the American mantra for years. The very basis of Manifest Destiny believes that if land is inalienably American (i.e., --initially defined as European), then sometimes it must be taken forcibly. Unfortunately, imminent domain doesn’t apply in these cases. Blood, slaughter, and human rights abuses typically were how these things were achieved.
While very few would condone this behavior on U.S. soil, the acceptance of violence has so pervaded the basic fabric of our society that it’s with too much ease that we chalk it up as “good fun”, when in reality, we have become a culture that has devalued the sanctity of life from all accounts, partially because we are so transfixed by the macabre gloom of death. While there are many reasons to be interested in seeing, discussing, and representing death, there are very few examinations of the pain of loss and the possibilities that it brings. (Yes, Six Feet Under, I’m talking to what you didn’t do.)
This weekend however, I saw two films that demonstrate the dichotomy of what cinema can do to remedy this casual acceptance of violence, as well as a slightly offensive example of everything Hollywood is currently doing wrong in its use of violence.
First—the lame one:
Flightplan. First and foremost, I think “plan” is incredibly misleading. There was no plan evident in this movie. There were plot holes big enough to plant a city in. Sometimes there’s abusing coincidence. Then there’s turning coincidence over and doing things to that only happen to little boys at the Neverland Ranch. This movie seems to do the latter to the plot.
Despite the plot problems, the film tries to be a psychological thriller. It’s got an interesting set-up and
Jodie Foster does a good job of creating a compelling mommy dearest that we’re willing to follow and go with. So why does the film need to smack people around, hit folks, blow things up, and throw in as much violent mayhem as possible? Because the story needs it? PLEASE! It’s about as necessary as a botox injection. It’s there because the filmmakers know the fastest way to get an audience on their side is to let the heroine engage in some righteous violence. And it serves no purpose in this film other than to enflame the prurient interest. In legal circles, that’s one of the criteria for porn to quit being considered porn and be considered obscenity.
A History of Violence however takes the exact opposite effect. It seeks to look at the place of violence in a person’s life, as well as the far-flung implications that violence has. The film has a simple set-up—Tom Stall (
Viggo Mortensen) lives in a small town in Indiana. One night, his diner gets robbed and one of his customers is about to be raped. He takes action and becomes the town hero. Suddenly, strange men show up at his door, wanting to talk to him. His family then gets sucked into his heroic deeds and the life he led before them.
It’s unfair to say that the film is violent. Yes, there are more people that die in
Violence as compared to
Flightplan, but far fewer than in
The Matrix,
Kingdom of Heaven,
Gladiator, or any other R rated movie (that’s not
Wedding Crashers). What will make people contend that it’s violent is that the usage of the violence. Director
David Cronenberg desires to comment on the psychological impact of violence upon everyone that comes in contact with it—including us as the audience.
There’s a particularly strong subplot involving Tom’s son, Sam (
Ashton Holmes), who has to deal with a bully at his high school and tries to do his best to keep from giving in to the violence he can feel building, but ultimately he gives himself over to a force that is far bigger than his own self-control. This teenager tries to gain a grasp of what this new inclusion of terror into his means for everything he’s ever known.
Despite the bigger names of Mortensen and
Maria Bello as Tom’s intelligent wife, it’s Holmes that steals the show—until
William Hurt walks in with a glorified cameo that subverts the “nice guy” image he so carefully cultivated during the 80s and 90s. These two performances are both among the strongest supporting performances you’re likely to see all year. They’re only topped by Cronenberg’s deliberate and measured direction, coupled with
Josh Olson’s crisp screenplay.
A History of Violence might not be perfect, but it knows what it’s doing. More importantly, it understands the ramifications and power of taking a life. In an era of video-game shoot ‘em ups, you can’t ask much more from a movie.
Weekly TV rundown
What does a bad
Arrested Development episode look like? I don’t know. Don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
Boston Legal—As much as I love this show and David Kelley, there’s something wrong with the fact that I feel the need to completely skip over scenes dealing with the B or C storyline because it’s crazy and redundant. Though this isn’t the way that the show has gone, Kelley is really at his best when he’s writing serious, dualistic arguments about issues that are moving forward to the zeitgeist of the nation.
Gilmore Girls—Love the Rory and Lorelai being separated thing, but if this is the way Palladino wants to handle it, I’m ready to check out. The only way to make this storyline work is to have Emily in the middle of it. Her being in Europe isn’t being in the middle.
Nip/Tuck—a foursome and a frat prank where guys are superglued to somebody’s butt? Tacky for even this show.
Lost—Umm, I was actually disappointed. Not in the explanation of the hatch but in Locke’s flashback story. Though, loved the whole “turn the tables” thing with the other captives.
Veronica Mars---It was-----who knows? It wasn’t on out here because of baseball. (Bitter doesn’t even begin to describe the emotions I was feeling when I “had” to turn over and watch
Lost live.) All I’m saying is after you show Charisma Carpenter in that outfit last week, it’s really wrong to then turn around and not let me have this week’s fix. (It’s going to reair Saturday, but still. Who wants to wait that long?)
Now bring on a pregnant Syd and
Everwood
!
Be wary of traffic
For those of you still living in DC, be forewarned, apparently,
MI:3
is shooting in Rosslyn and on the 14th Street Bridge. Expect much traffic backup to ensue.
Wonderful Moment
It's been a while since I've seen a trailer for a movie and there was a single moment that made me think, "I want to go see that." However, the moment I saw the trailer for
Glory Road, there's on particular clip in a classroom that I never would've expected. It struck me as so amusing and potentially funny (and in a completely crowd-pleasing way), but put this in a combination with
Josh Lucas in the film and I'm in. Check out
the trailer for yourself.
Wrong
Just doesn't it seem wrong to anybody else that Heather Locklear has never received an Emmy nomination? I know that the shows she's been on probably haven't been "Emmy" shows, but still, is there anybody that people get more excited seeing on television? As "television stars" go, is there any bigger? Yet she's never been nominated once.
Curiouser and Curiouser...
Most Random Celebrity Sighting
Frankie Muniz standing by himself in the middle of the street in Beverly Hills holding a box of pastries.
Poker Face
I’m starting to realize that it’s a good thing I don’t gamble because apparently, I don’t have a good poker face. I’ve been told this more than once during the last six months. I honestly don’t know that I believe it. I think when I try to be stoic, I come off as pretty blank. At least I feel like I come off as blank, but maybe not. Nevertheless, it’s on the list of things that I’m watching and trying to correct about myself.
Friday night, I went to a screening of
Good Night, and Good Luck, about Edward R. Murrow’s role in bringing down McCarthy starring David Strathairn, George Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., and Frank Langella. The theater was kind of crowded and since I was “working” or at least felt the need to be ready if I was needed, I just hung out and stood in the back of the theater.
The film was moving along at a quick clop. About an hour into the film, the door opened and the film’s director walked in. The publicist for Warner Independent tried to usher him to the seat they’d saved for him, but he waved them off and decided he’d stand. So he did—right beside me!
I have never been so self-conscious my reactions in my life. At one point, I chuckled at something and he looked in my direction. Thinking to myself—Am I not supposed to be laughing at this? It was clever. So I stood there beside this guy for thirty minutes, trying to continue enjoying the movie, but fearful that I was going to be given another look. Mentally, I’m thinking that I have two things working for me. First, I was actually liking the movie. Second, it was dark, so if I made a strange face, I don’t think he was gonna be able to watch me.
As soon as the credits started, the director and his co-writer went up and did a Q&A, so I didn’t have the opportunity to tell him I enjoyed the film, but hopefully my body language gave that off. Frankly, I’m not sure how, but this is what I’ve obsessed over all weekend.
I think this place is making me really neurotic.
