10 films that you won't forget
In a class that I took in graduate school at the University of Oregon, I was asked to compile a list of my favorite 10 films. After laboring over for a full evening, I turned in a list of my favorite – at the time – 16 filmmakers, with up to three films following each name.
So paring things down to a Top 10 is pretty difficult. So following on the list of summer reads that I offer below, I thought I offer the following 10 movies that I find particularly intriguing.
I call it Just When You Thought You’d Seen Everything …
“A Clockwork Orange” (1971) – Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel brings a bit of the old ultraviolence to the big screen in a way that, for maybe the first time, made violence seem … well, cool. Hum along now, “I’m singin’ in the rain …”
“Irreversible” (2002) – Gaspar Noé, no favorite of critics, takes a look at a single evening, told mostly backward, revolving around the brutal rape of a woman and the even more violent aftermath. Look beyond the most graphic images and you’ll spot a poignant, if fatalistic, message. Can you say sword of Damocles?
“Boogie Nights” (1997) – This is the movie that introduced us to the genius that is Paul Thomas Anderson. It’s an epic look at the human struggle, told through characters who work – irony alert – in the porn industry. And was that really Mark Wahlberg letting it all hang out?
“Raging Bull” (1980) – Only Martin Scorsese (or maybe P.T. Anderson) would tell a story about an irredeemably violent man, the boxer Jake LaMotta, and his tendency to let his more brutal instincts leak out over everyone in his life. And it’s in gorgeous black and white.
“Oldboy” (2003) – Korean filmmaker Chan-Wook Park channels Franz Kafka in telling the story of a man, imprisoned in a cheap hotel room for 15 years without explanation, who gets released only to encounter a deeper horror. This is one twisted cinematic trip into the void.
“Dogville” (2003) – One of the more interesting/confounding/irritating/maddening/blazingly talented filmmakers of his generation, Danish-born Lars von Trier films a stage play about a woman, seeking refuse, who is wronged by everyone and everything. And then the worm turns.
“Celebration” (1998) – Another Dogma director (the school of Lars von Trier), Thomas Vinterberg tells the story of a family reunion that is about as festive as a zombie stomp. Think “Home for the Holidays” meets “Running with Scissors” but with an even more perverted sense of humor.
“Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) – Arthur Penn’s ballad of the 1930s-era bank robbers introduced America to the kind of big-screen violence that has since become commonplace. It’s always good to see where things originated. Make sure to watch all the way through the machine-gun, uh, climax.
“Memento” (2000) – Leonard has short-term memory loss. His wife was murdered, and he wants to find out who did it. He tattoos information on his body that he hopes will … uh, what was I saying? This note on my wrist says, “Leonard has short-term memory …”
“The Vanishing” (1988) – A man, investigating his girlfriend’s disappearance, finds out more than he ever wanted to know. In adapting Tim Krabbé’s novel, George Sluizer came up with one of the most uncompromising, horrific endings ever. Note: Do not rent Sluizer’s 1993 American remake, which is the biggest sell-out in cinematic history.
And that’s it. I’ll come up with other lists as I think of them.
Below: Robert DeNiro stars as Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s 1980 masterpiece “Raging Bull.”
Associated Press photo
Will 'Indiana Jones' outgross 'Iron Man'?
I’m not a betting man, but I just made a movie wager. I bet a friend that, based on what Boxofficemojo.com reports on Monday morning, May 26, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” won’t have outgrossed what “Iron Man” made on its opening weekend.
That means that the fourth “Indiana Jones” movie has to gross in excess of $98,628,668. Which is possible but unlikely. “Iron Man” had a fairly open field, while “Indiana Jones” will be competing with both “Iron Man” and “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which opens Friday and by then will be in its second week.
Of course, Indy’s success also depends on how many screens the movie plays on. And based on the clout that the Steven Spielberg/George Lucas team has, it might just open on three trillion screens.
Then I lose for sure. Since I’m such a bit gambler, than means I lose a Ben & Jerry’s smoothie. If I win, I get a free popcorn.
I can taste it already. Extra butter flavoring, please.
Below: Lovely, lovely popcorn.
Spokesman-Review photo by Amanda Smith
'Iron Man' retains its iron grip
First the bad news: “Iron Man” dropped 48 percent over its opening weekend.
Now the good news: That means the film still made a whopping $51 million, making tin foil out of its competition – the lame Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz comedy “What Happens in Vegas” and the Wachowski brothers’ version of a kid’s flick “Speed Racer.”
We’ll see how well “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” fares when it opens in 3,800 venues on Friday.
For me, I’d see “Iron Man” five times rather than be forced to watch another “Narnia” movie a single time.
New 'Narnia' best film ever made!!!!
I’ve been reading a lot about how movie critics all over the country are losing their jobs. No question. Same thing’s happening with books critics. And art critics. And columnists.
All are going, in fact, who do only one thing and – this is the important part – can’t adapt to the changing face of 21st-century journalism.
But the part I don’t agree with involves the need, or lack of need, of these specialists. Especially critics. Especially movie critics.
As someone who has written movie criticism since 1984, I – as you would expect – think that the job is important. Not that anything that I say personally is all that important. Or even correct. But I do represent something that is gradually disappearing from the current critical scene.
An independent voice.
Because, right, wrong or merely irritating, my voice is mine alone. And it owes nothing to anyone.
See, I was just watching the NBA game between Cleveland and Boston and for the second time today I watched the ad for the upcoming “Chronicles of Narnia” movie, “Prince Caspian” And the blurbs for that film make it sound like the second coming of … oh, I don’t know, “The Godfather” meets “Lord of the Rings”?
Thing is, I tried to see who was making these ridiculous claims. And I couldn’t recognize a one of them. Not that I know any better. I haven’t seen the film.
But I did see the first one, and I thought it was an overproduced, melodramatic and derivative ripoff of Peter Jackson’s “Rings” trilogy. Only the performance of then-unknown James McAvoy and soon-to-win-an-Oscar Tilda Swinton made it worth watching.
And I know those “critics” are the same ones whom Hollywood trots out every time they want to drum up some enthusiasm for a film that they’re afraid is going to tank. They’re radio and TV and online critics who, in years past, have been called – not even cynically – “opinion-makers.”
You may end up agreeing with them. Fine. I have no problem with that. You may disagree with what I have to say. Fine, too. I have critics whose work I admire whom I don’t agree with (The New Yorker’s Anthony Lane comes to mind).
Here’s the thing, though. No matter whether you agree with me, you can depend that I’m not trying to please anyone but myself. I’m not invited on junkets and given special preview access to movies (and sometimes stars) all at a studio’s expense just so I will write that some piece of Hollywood dross – “What Happens in Vegas,” for example – is the “Must-see movie of the year.”
So, yes, critics across the country are losing their jobs. That’s how things go in this new era of journalism.
Too bad a little thing called honesty is leaving with them.
Comics are the wave of Hollywood's action future
In case you hadn’t heard, comic books aren’t going to disappear from the big screen anytime soon. Now that “Iron Man 2” has been announced, Marvel Studios is apparently going to inundate us with other second-rank superheroes.
Let’s hope they can do as good as job with them as they did with “Iron Man,” which for me means that they stick with human psychology and avoid any overt jingoistic chest-thumping. Though how they’d be able to do that with Captain America is anyone’s guess.
By the way, did anyone notice that “Iron Man” is making almost as much money internationally as it is domestically. I guess that should come as no surprise, though, since the most successful of the “Spider-Man” films made made most of its near-$900-million total gross in foreign markets.
Irony, thy name is Colbert
You may, or may not, be a Stephen Colbert fan. Either way, his interview with Ariana Huffington (see imbed below) regarding her new book has moments of hilarity. The book’s title, by the way, is “Right Is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution, and Made Us All Less Safe.”
His first question: Why did she write such a short title?
Summer reading list? Start here
One of the students in the journalism class that I taught this past semester at Gonzaga University said he wished that I had handed out a must-see list of movies, which I thought was a good suggestion.
But my first love is, and always has been, reading. So before I tackle the Movies You Should See Before You Die, I thought I’d come up with a list of 15 Books That You Everyone Should Read At Least Once.
I offer them in no particular order:
“The Prince,” “The Dissertation,” “Mandragon” – R.M. Koster’s “Tinieblas Trilogy” is a mostly undiscovered American classic. Set in a fictional Latin American country, it is a powerful and evocative look at characters trying to retain their humanity in difficult circumstances.
“Slaughterhouse-Five” – The late Kurt Vonnegut’s best novel is one of the most gently devastating looks at the horror of war ever written.
“The Sparrow,” “Children of God” – With this two-book series, Mary Doria Russell created a new genre: Jesuit science fiction. It also is a knowing look at the workings of culture.
“The Catcher in the Rye” – J.D. Salinger’s coming-of-age novel is, no secret here, one of the most influential works of fiction to come out of the mid-20th century. And, if you want to know the truth, it’s a great read.
“The Great Gatsby” – F. Scott Fitzgerald’s small, poetic novel is perhaps closest thing to a perfect book ever written. And those closing lines are dream-like.
“Huckleberry Finn” – This best of Mark Twain was, according to Ernest Hemingway, the very basis of all American literature. He wasn’t wrong.
“East of Eden” – John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” is more famous, and arguably better, but this one captured me in 10th grade and refused to let me go.
“A Farewell to Arms” – A graduate-student friend of mine at UC-San Diego used to use this Ernest Hemingway novel to teach students about World War I. Despite his up-and-down reputation, Hemingway remains a worthy read.
“1984” – You’re living aspects of this George Orwell novel, so you might as well understand the references.
“The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” – Along with Truman Capote, Harper Lee, Flannery O’Connor and others, Carson McCullers represented the best of America’s Southern literature.
“Lord of the Flies” – Ralph and the boys, creations of British Nobel Prize winner William Golding, let us know just how close we are to the jungle
“A Clockwork Orange” – Brilliant and fiery, this Anthony Burgess novel of the future/here-and-now was made into a brilliant movie by Stanley Kubrick.
“The Stranger” – The ultimate existentialist, Albert Camus demonstrates the meaning, er, meaninglessness, of it all.
That’s a beginning. There are many more, some of which might even include a play or two.
Below: Kurt Vonnegut makes the list on the strength of his novel “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
Associated Press photo
The right title says it all
It comes as no surprise that a review copy of a film should fall with a thump on my desk. What is surprising is the DVD’s title.
Which is “Autism: The Musical.”
So, OK, I haven’t had a chance to see the film, which precludes my saying anything about its quality or, more to the point, judging how conscientious the filmmakers were in adhering to the dictates of good taste while exploring such a difficult and important topic.
But that title? Really, doesn’t that sound like a three-word joke in the vein, say, of “Ronald McDonald, vegetarian.”
Halberstam had a way with words
I was just skimming through my copy of the late David Halberstam’s book “Everything They Had: Sportswriting from David Halberstam” (Hyperion, 401 pages, $24.95) when I came upon a couple of great quotes.
Both come from the essay “Maybe I Remember DiMaggio’s Kick,” which was published on Oct. 21, 2000, in the New York Times. In the piece, Halberstam addresses the notion of memory’s importance in explaining New York’s excitement toward the success (at the time) of the city’s two major-league baseball teams, the Yankees and the Mets.
The first involves the notion of memory itself. Does Halberstam really remember the great Joe DiMaggio, in a 1947 game that Halberstam attended, hitting an apparent homer? Does he remember the ball being caught by Dodger outfielder Al Gionfriddo? And does he remember DiMaggio showing his frustration, something he rarely did, by delivering a well-publicized kick at the dirt near second base?
“Who knows?” Halberstam wrote. “Memory is often less about truth than about what we want it to be.”
The second quote comes a couple of pages later, when Halberstam is addressing the perplexity that New Yorkers feel when told that “much of America … sees us as loud, noisy and aggressive, above all insensitive to the nuances and pleasures and cultures of other places.”
“That is,” Halberstam wrote, “the rest of the country sees New York much the way the rest of the world sees America.”
David Halberstam, 1934-2007. Rest in peace.
Below: In the classic newsreel below, you can see Joe DiMaggio’s moment of frustration.
What's better: Movies in the theater or at home?
I just got back from recording this week’s version of “Movies 101,” for which we reviewed “Iron Man” and two films out on DVD.
For “Iron Man,” enough said already. Downey’s great, things blow up real good, etc., etc.
But for the other two films, Alberto Lattuada’s “Mafioso” (1962) and Albert Lamorisse’s “The Red Balloon” (1956), there’s a lot that needs to be said. Part of that involves the quality of the digital transfers, which in both cases – black and white for “Mafioso,” color for “The Red Balloon” – is superb.
Part of it involves the film’s themselves. “Mafioso,” as my friend Bob Glatzer points out, isn’t on par with the great Italian neorealistic classics such as “The Bicycle Thief” or any of best of Michelangelo Antonioni (“L’Avventura”) or Federico Fellini. But it does predate Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” series by a decade, and it does an even better job of showing what it’s like for the everyday guy (in this case Alberto Sordi) to realize he’s in a situation that’s bigger and more evil than he ever suspected.
By contrast, Lamorisse’s “The Red Balloon” may not connect with today’s millennial generation just because, though barely 33 minutes long, it has almost no dialogue, few special effects, the bare outlines of a story and action that, to a “Speed Racer” crowd, is underwhelming as to be nonexistent. And yet the transfer by Janus is superb, and the film itself is a sweet little parable that, if given a chance, would connect to the 6-year-old inside all of us.
The larger part of what needs to be said, though, involves the dialogue that occurs below, where I was discussing the two independent films opening Friday in Spokane: “Redbelt” and “Caramel.” And that involves watching films in the theater versus watching them at home on DVD.
I have a 55-inch television with an HD feel (though not plasma) that is the best of any TV I’ve ever owned. And while my sound system isn’t nearly the best, it works just fine. Even so, watching any film in my living room just can’t compare with watching in a theater.
And that’s true whether the theater is the IMAX with its oversize screen that overwhelms you or either of the Magic Lantern houses with their various problems (cramped seats being a big one). There’s just something about a communal viewing experience, held in a room built expressly for that purpose, that will always – to my way of thinking – outdo watching something at home.
Unless you’re Tony Stark and you live in that beach house on the Malibu cliffs. Of course, if that were the case, then I’d spend most of my time escorting supermodels or flying around in that oh-so cool iron suit and to hell with the movies.
Two gems set amid the glitter
Amid the summer blockbusters that are flocking to regional theaters, from last week’s “Iron Man” and “Made of Honor” to this week’s “Speed Racer” and “What Happens in Vegas,” a couple of gems are available for cinephiles to see.
At the Magic Lantern – that, yes, is still showing movies – you’ll be able to catch the Lebanese film “Caramel.” AMC’s River Park Square theater will offer David Mamet’s film “Redbelt.” Both open Friday.
The former is a story set in a Beirut beauty salon, detailing the lives of the women who frequent there. The latter is a Mamet exercise in dialectics, this one disguised as a martial-arts film involving a jiu-jitsu instructor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who gets tricked into competing in a mixed-martial-arts tournament.
If you have any free time, and are tied of superheroes and/or Hollywood romantic comedies starring beautiful people, you might try to catch one or both of these smaller movies.
One good thing: You’re not likely to have any trouble finding a seat.
Below: The trailer for Nadine Labaki’s film “Caramel.”
'Iron Man' creates a metal storm
Looks as if “Iron Man” is receiving good reviews across the board. That, of course, doesn’t explain why it made so much money. Crap, after all, sells, too. But it does give some hope that Hollywood blockbusters can insert a bit of quality, if not intelligence, in between the frames of things blowing up real good.
Has anyone, by the way, noticed that the film opened on some 8,700 screens (in 4,105 theaters)? Opening that big seems almost like cheating.
Who's an 'Iron Man' fan?
So, who saw “Iron Man” last night, and what did people think?
I’ll start. I thought Robert Downey Jr. lived up to the hype, no easy thing since hardly anyone else has – including Christian Bale who, though a talented guy, didn’t strike me as having the full range of emotions that an effective superhero needs.
The vulnerability in Downey’s puppy-dog eyes can’t be faked. And even Ron Perlman, under all that latex in “Hellboy,” shows hurt better than Bale managed in “Batman Begins.”
In fact, all three of the “Iron Man” leads did well. Gwyneth Paltrow made the ridiculously named Pepper Potts more than Tony Stark’s sidekick by giving the impression that she had an actual interior life. And Jeff Bridges, as Obadiah Stane, breathed evil, underplaying his role perfectly – except for when he screams at an underling for not being as talented as Stark.
If I did have a problem with the film, it’s that it doesn’t have the complexity of the highest-grossing superhero movie series in history: “Spider-Man.” Another subplot, maybe going more into Stark’s relationship with his father or by expanding the role of Yinsen played by Shaun Toub, would have helped.
And I did think the final showdown between Iron Man and Iron Monger was a bit predictable, even if the special effects were first rate.
Still, as my colleague Tom Bowers said, “This is the perfect male fantasy,” I’m not sure, though, why he would say that. Maybe it was the pole-dancing flight attendants on Stark’s private jet. Yow.
Below: Robert Downey Jr. and Shaub Toub greet each other at Wednesday’s Los Angeles premiere of “Iron Man.”
Associated Press photo
Gird your loins for 'Rambo'!
I’d be curious to check out the psychological makeup of the movie fans who will be showing up at Regal’s Riverstone Stadium cinemas in Coeur d'Alene on May 15 to see the one-night-only “special event presentation” of “First Blood,” the 1982 first edition in the “Rambo” series.
The film, says the press materials, will be presented “fully digitally re-mastered, and in high-definition.”
Furthermore, “After the movie, fans will also experience the alternate ending that could have changed Rambo’s theatrical history forever presented for the first time in movie theatres. In an exclusive interview (Sylvester) Stallone will also give fans a unique look into the incredible story of the making of “First Blood” over 25 years ago and his unique insights into the legend and franchise of Rambo in a specially produced segment for event attendees.”
Wow, I can think of only one thing better. Maybe a human sacrifice or two, right there in the Riverstone lobby.
Two questions: 1, Has any movie star ever gotten more out of less than Stallone has with his “Rambo” and “Rocky” series? 2, hasn’t Stallone’s 15 minutes run out yet?
Below: Sylvester Stallone, 25 years after starring in “First Blood,” is still in the jungle, maintaining his career by playing – as shown here – the character John Rambo in the fourth “Rambo” film.
Associated Press photo
What movies, stars excite you?
When it comes to this summer season, there’s only one film that tops my list of wanna-sees. That is, of course, “Iron Man.”
Anything with actual content, meaning and importance I’ll likely catch either at the upcoming Seattle International Film Festival, on DVD or by chance at either AMC’s River Park Square Cinemas or the Magic Lantern – assuming, of course, that it stays in business.
Moviefone, however, conducted a poll of some 418,204 movie fans who had lots more opinions about the summer-movie season than I obviously do. Take a gander at the list and see how much you agree – if you agree at all.
For me, “Sex and the City”? Poison my popcorn, please.
What's your favorite horror-movie musical score?
I was just talking with my colleague Tom Bowers about movie scores. And he said that he thought John Carpenter’s piano-heavy score to his “Halloween” films was the best score ever written for a horror film.
You can hear a bit of it in the following trailer:
“Can you name a better one?” Tom asked.
“Hmmm,” I replied, “maybe John Williams’ score for ‘Jaws’?”
Listen to it here:
And that, of course, got me to thinking. Assuming that we placed both of these films on the list, what would be some other great horror-film musical scores?
For pure use of music, we could include the “Freebird” sequence that ends Rob Zombie’s “The Devil’s Rejects.’ ”
Here are the closing credits with much of the Lynyrd Skynyrd song intact:
And for musical effects, there’s always Bernard Herrmann’s string-laden score for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film “Psycho.”
For the opening scene, go here:
We could also list the theme to “The Twilight Zone,” though that was created for the television show and adapted for the film.
Here's the opening for the TV show:
But straight scores? I’d certainly include “The Exorcist,” for one. Or, anyway, I’d include the sequence called “Tubular Bells,” which is credited to composer Mike Oldfield.
For a version of it, click below:
Can anyone recommend any others?
Chow's act has grown a bit old
I think Stephen Chow’s schtick has run its course. I just sat though his new film, “CJ7,” which is supposed to be a variation on “E.T.: Extra-Terrestrial” but is more like “Kung Fu Hustle” meets “Teletubbies.”
It was entertaining to see the super-athletic special effects in both “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle.” But the same stuff in “”CJ7” felt derivative. And stupid.
There are moments. Jiao Xu, who plays the son (but who actually is a girl), has a certain screen presence. And some of the comic bits work well enough, But the film never explains why an alien pet should come to Earth, why to China, or even if the pet is an animal or some alien being with super powers.
Overall, though, the film is slow and long and just a tad boring.
Below: The trailer for the film “CJ7.”
Burke's book is a good listen
My friend Ross Coble just sent me the following e-mail:
“Just finished ‘Tin Roof Blowdown.’ Think you told me about it. Found it almost as dark as ‘The Road’ but more engaging. Gave me a better understanding of Katrina. Thanks for the tip.”
I responded:
“You’re welcome. Bit more redemption in Burke’s book, I think.
But that’s not saying a lot. You should listen to Will Patton read the book on tape.”
I should also mention that Burke’s novel is the May reading selection of The Spokesman-Review Book Club.
Hear that siren? It's the grammar cops
My friend Kathleen Magone sent me a link to the following site, which is where Grammar Police types gather. That's not a criticism, though, because the work they do reveals some of the more ridiculous examples of elasticized English.
'Iron Man' is a Downey, for sure
For what it’s worth, David Denby delivers his take on “Iron Man” here. He’s probably right in what he writes, though it’s been my experience that reactions to sci-fi/superhero cinema is largely personal.
As with much of what is called movie criticism, there’s not so much right and wrong as there is mere connection. You like men dressed in iron suits? You’ll probably like “Iron Man,” which opens Friday (but will have Thursday night screenings).
It’s true, though, that most of us have our favorites, especially in this genre. Tim Burton’s original “Batman,” for example. The first “X-Men.” “Spider-Man” 1 or 2 but likely not 3. Neither of the “Fantastic Four” missteps.
The difference with “Iron Man,” as Denby points out, is Downey. The rest of the film may suck, but he’s bound to be great. Or so one can hope.
Bye bye Tribeca
And so the last day was the best at Tribeca 2008. We saw two documentaries, as different as they can be. The first, “War, Love, God & Madness,” was about Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed al Daradji’s struggle to make his narrative film “Ahlaam.” The second, “Gotta Dance,” is about the professional basketball team New Jersey Nets forming a dance team of senior citizens – make that a hip-hop dance team of, yes, senior citizens.
The Iraqi film is a powerful statement about how difficult it is to be caught up in war, even for – and maybe especially for – an artist trying to help rebuild his country. The second overcomes its conceit, that of the preciousness of the elderly trying to act young, by delving into the lives of the characters and making them feel real.
The only real excitement of the day came when we walked from Union Square all the way down to Pace University near the Brooklyn Bridge, which is where “Gotta Dance” was screening. Led astray by the map provided by the Tribeca guide, we ended up walking a lot farther than necessary.
But at least the weather held. Unlike this morning, which is cold and filled with rain. Perfect. I’ll prepare me for home, which is where I’m headed this afternoon.
Tribeca is over. Eight films in three days. Not a lot – but enough.
New York is full of star sightings
Two celebrity sightings today, and neither had anything to do with the Tribeca Film Festival. First was Josh Charles, the former “Sports Night” star, whom we saw sitting on a couch outside a store near Union Square. Later, as we were walking through Soho, we saw Jonathan Pryce, most memorably the star of Terry Gilliam’s film “Brazil.”
I ignored both of them. I figure everyone has his private life, and it’s rude to intrude. My San Diego friend Tim, though, would have been all over both.
Putting up with filmgoing posers
As we head out for out third, and last day, of Tribeca 2008, I'm reminded of two moments from yesterday.
The first was seeing Bruce Willis at "From Within," the movie his daughter was costarring in, accompanied by a beautiful young woman. He, much the same as I, might have been with one of his daughters. Or, as the imagination goes, he might have been out in public on a date with a woman half his age. He is, after all, a movie star, right?
The second was at the documentary we'd seen earlier, "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." I'm accustomed to people posing in the post-screening Q&A sessions, either making comments or asking long-winded and ridiculous questions. But when a woman compared the NYPD to the brutality of African warlords - based on the recent jury involving the Sean Bell case - the world tipped over into the surreal.
That's kind of like comparing the Bush administration to, say, the Italian fascists of the 1920s or the Nazis of the 1930s.
Oh, right, Naomi Wolf already did that.
Never mind.
Early Friday took us into Africa
Our moviegoing Friday started promisingly. It begin until 2 p.m., which gave us the morning to sleep in, take our time training into the city and even stop to get a new phone battery for my daughter’s cell.
So our first two films were documentaries. And about Africa, no less. The first was “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” which looked at a group of women and their efforts at forcing the men, both Liberian dictator Charles Taylor and the leaders of the rebel groups opposing him, to seek peace.
It’s a well-meaning film that takes a rather simplistic look at history, though it does have a lot of engaging footage, it portrays effectively the savagery of the country’s civil war, and it pays a stirring tribute to the efforts of the courageous women to effect change.
After taking a walk to and then though Tompkins Square Park, before which we had eaten falafel at a small street shop on St. Mark’s Place, we went to the second documentary, “Kassim the Dream,” which told the story of Kassim Ouma, a former boy soldier from Uganda who rose to become light-middleweight champion of the world.
Again, there’s lots to like about the film, from the access the filmmakers got to Ouma’s world to the fight sequences to the powerful emotions brought about by his return to Uganda. But the fend comes, abruptly, without giving us any real reason why it was made. The obligation of a good documentary is to tell a good story and to make a point. On that second one, “Kassim the Dream” falls a bit short.
That led us to the late-night show, which I describe in the previous post. Let me just say that the high point of the day was not just the falafel that we had ($8.54 for two sandwiches, a side of babaganoush and two waters) nor the coffee and tea ($3.50) – both prices of which beat almost any place in Spokane – but the continuing pleasure of walking the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan in weather that makes Spokane feel as if it’s still stuck in early February.
One day to go … and then back to making snowmen.
Tribeca day 2 ends with a fizzle
You know how it is. You say something and immediately you jinx the very thing you’ve just commented on. Like, “Hey, if the Pats can just hold the Giants, they’ll finish the season undefeated!” Yeah, as if no one saw that coming.
So, just before watching our third film of the day at the 2008 version of the Tribeca Film Festival, I’d called my wife and said, “Well, we haven’t seen anything great, but at least nothing has sucked.” And then my daughter and I went in to see “From Within.”
Starring a good-looking young cast, which should have warned us off, the film is a weird combination of religion/Satanism/horror that, other than its copying all those Japanese horror films that kill characters off by the dozen, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Seems as if a series of serial suicides is hitting our town (which is a fitting way to describe someplace that could be the second coming of Grover's Corners), and the deaths seem to be tied to the drowning of a young boy and the subsequent “accidental” death of a local woman rumored to be a witch.
Thus the stage for the first suicide, which occurs barely five minutes into the film. A death that leaves Rumer Willis covered with gore (Rumer’s father, Bruce, sat across the aisle from us, a few rows back). And so it goes. Muddled Christianity, befuddled Wicca and zombied doppelgangers lead to a “twist” ending that reads sequel wannabe.
One thing was right. My declaration turned out to be prophetic. Who knew, though, that I had that much a gift for irony?
