OK, some of these Japanese amime films freak me out...and I mean that in a good way. Metropolis (2001) is one of them. The storyline, in a dystopian future, features corporate and political intrigue, as one party stages a coup and kills the current president, and sets humans and robots against each other, echoing racial/social tension in our current society.
This is not a kiddie cartoon folks, it is a multi-layered piece of literature, with echoes of Pinocchio and some Oedipus/Elektra complex thrown in for good measure.
And above all that, it is a cautionary tale. A story about our science getting ahead of our wisdom and morality. A morality tale of the excesses of corporate greed and human hubris, likening ourselves to gods, creators of life. It is also fantastic entertainment, with amazing animation. And it freaks me out!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Book-Here to Stay
John Hersey not only wrote fiction, but wrote many excellent pieces of non-fiction also. In this collection of his non-fiction, including his most famous work, Hiroshima, he turns in pieces about human survival. He derives his title from that theme, that as individuals, and hence as a species, we are Here to Stay.
The pieces run the gamut, from an old lady in Connecticut surviving a flooding river, to John Kennedy leading his crew to survive after his PT Boat was destroyed in WWII, to a Jew surviving Auschwitz. But Hersey steers away from sensationalism, and that works perfectly for these pieces. He gives an almost journalistic rendition of the stories, letting the horror of the situation speak for itself, never embellishing it.
For example, in Hiroshima, he follows the eyewitness account of six people who survived the blast the killed 100,000 or more. As one man was trying to rescue others near a river, he grabbed their hands, and Hersey reports, the flesh just came off. He does not talk much more about it, except that the man had to take time to recover from the shock of seeing this. But the scene is that much more powerful for lack of embellishment. As I said, Hersey lets the actions of the events speak for themselves, and he portrays these actions splendidly.
I think his type of writing has faded a bit from popularity, but it is a clear and crisp and as well written as it ever was. It is really good writing. As good as writing gets.
Here to Stay is an excellent collection of his work. He makes some short notes before each piece, and before Hiroshima he admits that this piece may challenge the idea that we are here to stay. With our ability to wipe ourselves out, it seems to have given him pause in his idea that we can make it as a species. The piece would give us all pause.
An excellent book.
The pieces run the gamut, from an old lady in Connecticut surviving a flooding river, to John Kennedy leading his crew to survive after his PT Boat was destroyed in WWII, to a Jew surviving Auschwitz. But Hersey steers away from sensationalism, and that works perfectly for these pieces. He gives an almost journalistic rendition of the stories, letting the horror of the situation speak for itself, never embellishing it.
For example, in Hiroshima, he follows the eyewitness account of six people who survived the blast the killed 100,000 or more. As one man was trying to rescue others near a river, he grabbed their hands, and Hersey reports, the flesh just came off. He does not talk much more about it, except that the man had to take time to recover from the shock of seeing this. But the scene is that much more powerful for lack of embellishment. As I said, Hersey lets the actions of the events speak for themselves, and he portrays these actions splendidly.
I think his type of writing has faded a bit from popularity, but it is a clear and crisp and as well written as it ever was. It is really good writing. As good as writing gets.
Here to Stay is an excellent collection of his work. He makes some short notes before each piece, and before Hiroshima he admits that this piece may challenge the idea that we are here to stay. With our ability to wipe ourselves out, it seems to have given him pause in his idea that we can make it as a species. The piece would give us all pause.
An excellent book.
TV on Netflix-All Creatures Great and Small, Season 4
After several seasons off the air, the last full season being 1980 and the last special being 1985, All Creatures Great and Smalll returned to series form in 1988, once again chronicling the adventures of country vet, James Herriot.
The series is welcome, in its good naturedness, and its gentle humor. Sometimes it is laugh out loud funny, as the partners in the firm deal with the sometimes eccentric Yorkshire farmers and those who are now owning more and more small animals as pets.
Most of the actors from he original series are back; except for Carol Drinkwater as James' wife, Helen. And while Lynda Bellinham is fine as Helen, Carol inhabited the role---she seemed the wife of a country vet, who grew up on a farm, and handled livestock. Alas, she is gone, and Lynda gets better in the role as the season progresses.
The season also has some fast cuts in scenes and other somewhat funky editing, that left it less smooth, and less engaging than previous seasons. But seeing old friends is sometimes a bumpy road. And many old friends of James, Siegried and Tristan appear here, including Granville Bennett who always gets James totally snookered, to the chagrin of Helen.
I really enjoy this show, and though we are now in the fifties, with anti-bitoics and artificial insemination helping the Dales farmers, the vets still have their arms up a cow's rectum or sheep's vagina so often---you realize what a hard life being a country vet was.
A funny, touching really nice show.
The series is welcome, in its good naturedness, and its gentle humor. Sometimes it is laugh out loud funny, as the partners in the firm deal with the sometimes eccentric Yorkshire farmers and those who are now owning more and more small animals as pets.
Most of the actors from he original series are back; except for Carol Drinkwater as James' wife, Helen. And while Lynda Bellinham is fine as Helen, Carol inhabited the role---she seemed the wife of a country vet, who grew up on a farm, and handled livestock. Alas, she is gone, and Lynda gets better in the role as the season progresses.
The season also has some fast cuts in scenes and other somewhat funky editing, that left it less smooth, and less engaging than previous seasons. But seeing old friends is sometimes a bumpy road. And many old friends of James, Siegried and Tristan appear here, including Granville Bennett who always gets James totally snookered, to the chagrin of Helen.
I really enjoy this show, and though we are now in the fifties, with anti-bitoics and artificial insemination helping the Dales farmers, the vets still have their arms up a cow's rectum or sheep's vagina so often---you realize what a hard life being a country vet was.
A funny, touching really nice show.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Movie-Bottle Shock
Bottle Shock (2008) is a fun movie, telling the mostly true story of Napa, coming onto the world wine stage via a blind tasting in France in 1976.
The film is listed as a drama, but it is light-hearted and often funny, and always fun. Starring Bill Pullman as the owner of Montelena Winery, and Alan Rickman who owns a small wine shop in Paris that is on the verge of failing, the film also has an excellent supporting cast. Chris Pine, Freddy Rodriguez, Rachel Taylor, Dennis Farina, Eliza Dushku and Miguel Sandoval all are great in showing their love for the grape.
If these events had not happened, the film might be considered a bit campy, but as they did, and truth being stranger than fiction, the film works because it does show an evening of the playing field between the wine snobs and those who just love wine.
Alan Rickman is especially good. He knows he is not liked. He even has a line...."You think I am an asshole because I am British, and well, you're not." And it is true, we do! But he is the catalyst that brings California wines to the forefront of the world's imagination.
Not as pretentious as Sideways, this is still a movie for those who love wine, while still being accessible for those who just want to be entertained. And you learn a little something about wine...like what the term bottle shock means!
The film is listed as a drama, but it is light-hearted and often funny, and always fun. Starring Bill Pullman as the owner of Montelena Winery, and Alan Rickman who owns a small wine shop in Paris that is on the verge of failing, the film also has an excellent supporting cast. Chris Pine, Freddy Rodriguez, Rachel Taylor, Dennis Farina, Eliza Dushku and Miguel Sandoval all are great in showing their love for the grape.
If these events had not happened, the film might be considered a bit campy, but as they did, and truth being stranger than fiction, the film works because it does show an evening of the playing field between the wine snobs and those who just love wine.
Alan Rickman is especially good. He knows he is not liked. He even has a line...."You think I am an asshole because I am British, and well, you're not." And it is true, we do! But he is the catalyst that brings California wines to the forefront of the world's imagination.
Not as pretentious as Sideways, this is still a movie for those who love wine, while still being accessible for those who just want to be entertained. And you learn a little something about wine...like what the term bottle shock means!
Movie-Bang Rajan
Oliver Stone Presents: Bang Rajan (2000) is a movie that looks really good in description. A Thai movie (kind of the Thai Braveheart)tells of a group of Thai villagers in the village of Bang Rajan, armed with machetes, hold off the invading Burmese army time after time, using guile and cunning, and of course, amazing courage.
This Thai legend was brought to the U.S. by Oliver Stone, but he really would have been better to make his own version of it, because the quality of the film left a lot to be desired. The first 20 minutes or so were almost unwatchable, and I was that close to turning it off. But I persevered, and it did get better, though only in comparison.
While the legend is compelling, this telling of it is not. I would be interested to see a better telling of this legend though.
This Thai legend was brought to the U.S. by Oliver Stone, but he really would have been better to make his own version of it, because the quality of the film left a lot to be desired. The first 20 minutes or so were almost unwatchable, and I was that close to turning it off. But I persevered, and it did get better, though only in comparison.
While the legend is compelling, this telling of it is not. I would be interested to see a better telling of this legend though.
Movie- Inside Deep Throat Pt 2
OK...a couple of other things about this movie, Inside Deep Throat. There is a lot of commentary from people like Bill Maher, Erica Jongg, Hugh Hefner and Norman Mailer and Dr. Ruth among many others. This movie provides rich context on the culture at the time, and the sexual mores of the period.
But one thing that really stood out in one of the trials where authorities tried, and succeeded in banning the film in New York. The judge hearing the trial had to take a lot of expert testimony because he had never heard of a clitoris. Didn't know such a thing existed. And the framing of the argument, morally against the film, was that it showed a woman having an orgasm without the benefit of male penetration...and this...THIS...was considered immoral! A clitoral orgasm as opposed to a vaginal orgasm was considered IMMORAL! I think that argument could only win in a world where men rule~~~~
OK...I am done now...next movie...
But one thing that really stood out in one of the trials where authorities tried, and succeeded in banning the film in New York. The judge hearing the trial had to take a lot of expert testimony because he had never heard of a clitoris. Didn't know such a thing existed. And the framing of the argument, morally against the film, was that it showed a woman having an orgasm without the benefit of male penetration...and this...THIS...was considered immoral! A clitoral orgasm as opposed to a vaginal orgasm was considered IMMORAL! I think that argument could only win in a world where men rule~~~~
OK...I am done now...next movie...
Movie-Inside Deep Throat
OK...I know many of you may not see a documentary about the 1st BIG porn movie in America as something very worthwhile. But Inside Deep Throat (2005) is more than just about the making of this movie. It is also about the people who tried to stop this movie, and that is the more insidious and concerning side of the story.
Deep Throat really was a phenomenon when it came out in 1972. Starring Linda Lovelace, it was a somewhat silly and campily funny porn movie about a woman who had a rare medical condition...her clitoris was in her throat. So the only way for her to get satisfaction was to...yes, deep throat. And that Lovelace could easily perform the feat, a feat that had not been seen on screen before, helped fuel the reaction to this movie. (You see, there WAS a plot!!! HA)
Celebrities saw it...little old ladies saw it...it was talked about on the evening news...it was talked about in mainstream newspapers and magazines. Deep Throat became the codename for Woodword and Burnsteins informant on the Watergate cover up for crying out loud! How much more mainstream can you go?
But there were a lot of people who did not want anyone to see this movie. And they tried everything they could to stop it from being on screens. They had the power of government behind them, and they used it. They were, and still are, moral crusaders, who want to stop anyone from making their own decisions about what they want to watch. They are the people who want to use their power to decide what is appropriate for a free citizen to watch, or listen to, or say, in this country. People like Charles Keating, who led the charge against Deep Throat. Called it morally destructive, and other terrible things. This same Charles Keating jailed for defrauding people out of millions of dollars in the a Savings and Loan ponzi scheme. Good source of moral leadership there Chuck!
Inside Deep Throat tells this story also. And it is compelling and concerning. It is a story, that without the advent of videotape and now DVD and computers, could have led to mass censorship in this country of freedom.
Inside Deep Throat is a worthwhile documentary.
Deep Throat really was a phenomenon when it came out in 1972. Starring Linda Lovelace, it was a somewhat silly and campily funny porn movie about a woman who had a rare medical condition...her clitoris was in her throat. So the only way for her to get satisfaction was to...yes, deep throat. And that Lovelace could easily perform the feat, a feat that had not been seen on screen before, helped fuel the reaction to this movie. (You see, there WAS a plot!!! HA)
Celebrities saw it...little old ladies saw it...it was talked about on the evening news...it was talked about in mainstream newspapers and magazines. Deep Throat became the codename for Woodword and Burnsteins informant on the Watergate cover up for crying out loud! How much more mainstream can you go?
But there were a lot of people who did not want anyone to see this movie. And they tried everything they could to stop it from being on screens. They had the power of government behind them, and they used it. They were, and still are, moral crusaders, who want to stop anyone from making their own decisions about what they want to watch. They are the people who want to use their power to decide what is appropriate for a free citizen to watch, or listen to, or say, in this country. People like Charles Keating, who led the charge against Deep Throat. Called it morally destructive, and other terrible things. This same Charles Keating jailed for defrauding people out of millions of dollars in the a Savings and Loan ponzi scheme. Good source of moral leadership there Chuck!
Inside Deep Throat tells this story also. And it is compelling and concerning. It is a story, that without the advent of videotape and now DVD and computers, could have led to mass censorship in this country of freedom.
Inside Deep Throat is a worthwhile documentary.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Movie-Winter Solstice
Starring Anthony LaPaglia, of Without A Trace fame, Winter Solstice (2005) is a quiet drama, focusing on the lives of three men, a father and two sons, one college age and one a high schooler. It is clear that he is a widower, and that there is a shared burden of the loss in the house. It is not a new loss, and though the wounds have not healed, they have at least scarred over somewhat, enough to make life livable.
But a crossroads comes, as LaPaglia must deal with the issue of his younger son's disciplinary problems, and of his older son's decision to move away. Life has already dealt him changes that he did not want or ask for, and so he is having a hard time with these changes, despite trying to be a good father. And into the equation, the thing that may help him accept change, a new neighbor. A woman oddly vivacious in a buttoned down neighborhood, and oddly out of place. And he oddly likes her.
Winter Solstice is quiet, but is not slow, in that it is a character study. As the movie moves on, we learn more of these people, like layers of an onion being peeled away, however reluctant they are to reveal themselves.
Perhaps these changes will finally allow wounds to heal. Winter Solstice tells this tale well, with fine acting and very nice story telling.
But a crossroads comes, as LaPaglia must deal with the issue of his younger son's disciplinary problems, and of his older son's decision to move away. Life has already dealt him changes that he did not want or ask for, and so he is having a hard time with these changes, despite trying to be a good father. And into the equation, the thing that may help him accept change, a new neighbor. A woman oddly vivacious in a buttoned down neighborhood, and oddly out of place. And he oddly likes her.
Winter Solstice is quiet, but is not slow, in that it is a character study. As the movie moves on, we learn more of these people, like layers of an onion being peeled away, however reluctant they are to reveal themselves.
Perhaps these changes will finally allow wounds to heal. Winter Solstice tells this tale well, with fine acting and very nice story telling.
Vegas Baby!-My Annual Mid-Life Crisis!
Ah...every June it happens! My annual mid-life crisis! A week where I take time to break down and get sad about my life ~~~~~~~ Wait! What kind of mid-life crisis is that? I learned 6 years ago to have a FUN mid-life crisis. And this year we took it on the road to Vegas Baby!
Some of our pics are posted here from the trip. And it was only a couple of nights, but we had so much fun, as usual in the city of lost wages. We stayed at the Rio, one of our favorite places...especially since they offer us free rooms!!!! OK...I keep telling everyone---ALWAYS use your players club card. The casino keeps track of how much you wager. And it adds up! Let's say you put a $20 in a slot. And along the way you win $10, and decide to keep playing. Not only do they record you as spending the initial $20, but also that additional $10. And any other incremental wins you get along the way! Second thing we do is when you eat or drink at the hotel you are staying at...charge it to your room. Even if you are paying at the end, they keep track of that too. So they see you are spending money there.
Anyway...nice big rooms, technically suites at the Rio. Friendly staff always. Easy shuttle service over to Harrah's or Paris on the Strip. Good places to eat. Very nice pool area. We had a really nice day on Thursday, lounged by the pool for a few hours, soaking in the desert sun. It was not too hot, only about 85, and the pool was cool and refreshing!
We did take the shuttle over to Harrah's to go to Carnival Court bar, recommended by our friend Eugene, and also Melissa. Great fun there. Live cover bands that dance on the bar. Stunt bartenders who twirl that bottles, free shots at different times, and a generally ribald atmosphere, that was so much fun. Sharlynn got a couple of pics with the Chippendale dancers out front, and enjoyed THAT immensely! And she also got me my new fav t-shirt that states that I "heart" lap dances...which is true! LOL!
So we gambled, we drank, we soaked up sun, swam in the pool. Did not see any shows per se, this time. Though I enjoyed the show on the casino floor one night. So many pros working...maybe because of the World Series of Poker (which we watched for a bit) was taking place. I saw five in about 20 minutes and watched one doing her thing trying to lure a guy at a slot machine. It was better than Cirque de Solei! I went down to a row of slots to see if she could complete the deal, and a very nice young lady sat down next to me, and struck up a flirtatious conversation! HA! When I decided to go to my room, she asked where I was going. "Upstairs," I said. "Am I invited?" she asks. LOL! "Uh...not tonight , but thank you," I said with a smile! Too much fun!
It was a brief trip, but a great part of my crisis, working out some deep issues. Love Vegas, always fun, always entertaining.
Some of our pics are posted here from the trip. And it was only a couple of nights, but we had so much fun, as usual in the city of lost wages. We stayed at the Rio, one of our favorite places...especially since they offer us free rooms!!!! OK...I keep telling everyone---ALWAYS use your players club card. The casino keeps track of how much you wager. And it adds up! Let's say you put a $20 in a slot. And along the way you win $10, and decide to keep playing. Not only do they record you as spending the initial $20, but also that additional $10. And any other incremental wins you get along the way! Second thing we do is when you eat or drink at the hotel you are staying at...charge it to your room. Even if you are paying at the end, they keep track of that too. So they see you are spending money there.
Anyway...nice big rooms, technically suites at the Rio. Friendly staff always. Easy shuttle service over to Harrah's or Paris on the Strip. Good places to eat. Very nice pool area. We had a really nice day on Thursday, lounged by the pool for a few hours, soaking in the desert sun. It was not too hot, only about 85, and the pool was cool and refreshing!
We did take the shuttle over to Harrah's to go to Carnival Court bar, recommended by our friend Eugene, and also Melissa. Great fun there. Live cover bands that dance on the bar. Stunt bartenders who twirl that bottles, free shots at different times, and a generally ribald atmosphere, that was so much fun. Sharlynn got a couple of pics with the Chippendale dancers out front, and enjoyed THAT immensely! And she also got me my new fav t-shirt that states that I "heart" lap dances...which is true! LOL!
So we gambled, we drank, we soaked up sun, swam in the pool. Did not see any shows per se, this time. Though I enjoyed the show on the casino floor one night. So many pros working...maybe because of the World Series of Poker (which we watched for a bit) was taking place. I saw five in about 20 minutes and watched one doing her thing trying to lure a guy at a slot machine. It was better than Cirque de Solei! I went down to a row of slots to see if she could complete the deal, and a very nice young lady sat down next to me, and struck up a flirtatious conversation! HA! When I decided to go to my room, she asked where I was going. "Upstairs," I said. "Am I invited?" she asks. LOL! "Uh...not tonight , but thank you," I said with a smile! Too much fun!
It was a brief trip, but a great part of my crisis, working out some deep issues. Love Vegas, always fun, always entertaining.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Book-The Trial by Franz Kafka
OK, I will tell the truth here. I was not looking forward to this book. But it was on my list (the all powerful list) and so I picked it up. And was immediately entranced.
The Trial by Franz Kafka is so relevant to the here and now, it is astounding that it was written about 90 years ago. It tells the story of Joseph K., who wakes up one morning to find some officials in his apartment, there to arrest him. What authority they have to arrest him is not known...what charges he is being arrested under they know not, they merely know that they have the function to arrest him, and that the court the serve does not arrest men that do not deserve to be arrested.
Wow! Sound a little familiar?
That Kafka, a Czech born and German educated writer could see this unnamed judicial, national authority is amazing. But I guess totalitarianism has no time or place.
But we also wonder if this is all in Joseph K's mind, if the world really is so difficult to handle...there are hints that his world is only of his own making, a part of Kafka's existentialism.
I prefer to read it more dystopian the existential. A time when an unnamed authority can decide whether a man is guilty or innocent, not by the merits of his case, but by the whim, or need, of that authority to have guilt or innocence pronounced.
Either way, The Trial is a book that is much more accessible than I had thought, in fact very accessible. It speaks to modern life, as it must have spoken to Kafka in his day. And it is a piece that speaks out against authority, that speaks to the individual railing against the machinery of the bureaucrat. It is a voice of the individual against the government and the corporate. It is the voice of freedom against death.
The Trial by Franz Kafka is so relevant to the here and now, it is astounding that it was written about 90 years ago. It tells the story of Joseph K., who wakes up one morning to find some officials in his apartment, there to arrest him. What authority they have to arrest him is not known...what charges he is being arrested under they know not, they merely know that they have the function to arrest him, and that the court the serve does not arrest men that do not deserve to be arrested.
Wow! Sound a little familiar?
That Kafka, a Czech born and German educated writer could see this unnamed judicial, national authority is amazing. But I guess totalitarianism has no time or place.
But we also wonder if this is all in Joseph K's mind, if the world really is so difficult to handle...there are hints that his world is only of his own making, a part of Kafka's existentialism.
I prefer to read it more dystopian the existential. A time when an unnamed authority can decide whether a man is guilty or innocent, not by the merits of his case, but by the whim, or need, of that authority to have guilt or innocence pronounced.
Either way, The Trial is a book that is much more accessible than I had thought, in fact very accessible. It speaks to modern life, as it must have spoken to Kafka in his day. And it is a piece that speaks out against authority, that speaks to the individual railing against the machinery of the bureaucrat. It is a voice of the individual against the government and the corporate. It is the voice of freedom against death.
2 Magazines
As usual, I learned so much from National Geographic. The June issue wasn't even one of my personal favorites, and yet it is a pleasure to read and learn. The Feeding the World article really gives you pause and makes you wonder if we are not on the precipice of a huge catastrophe waiting for us. And the pictures from Pink Dolphins of the Amazon were simply amazing. These creatures seem to be from a story book or fairy tale, and yet are real, though they might not be around long if attention is not given to their environment.
Playboy is always interesting. This months interview with Shia LeBeouf was interesting because he seems one of the most unguarded celebrities ever to give an interview. Yes, he has troubled times, and he freely admits to mistakes...very freely. But he also does not want to change that he is a bit...unconventional, his background is, and it has made him think in different ways. 20Q with Scott Boras was interesting. I don't like him much, and I think the super agent is bad for baseball. But he points out how baseball has gotten in its own way many times (too true) and his job is to do the best he can for his clients, not baseball. That is the commish's job. True that.The fiction "Lovely Rita" by Maile Meloy was an excellent short story. And the Playmate of the year was...gasp...a black woman! Not a big boobed blonde! Will wonders never cease. Hef does still have the ability to change!!!!
Playboy is always interesting. This months interview with Shia LeBeouf was interesting because he seems one of the most unguarded celebrities ever to give an interview. Yes, he has troubled times, and he freely admits to mistakes...very freely. But he also does not want to change that he is a bit...unconventional, his background is, and it has made him think in different ways. 20Q with Scott Boras was interesting. I don't like him much, and I think the super agent is bad for baseball. But he points out how baseball has gotten in its own way many times (too true) and his job is to do the best he can for his clients, not baseball. That is the commish's job. True that.The fiction "Lovely Rita" by Maile Meloy was an excellent short story. And the Playmate of the year was...gasp...a black woman! Not a big boobed blonde! Will wonders never cease. Hef does still have the ability to change!!!!
Movie-Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows (2005) from Japan, is an amazing, but terribly sad, movie. And it has its basis in a true story that actually happened in Japan.
We first see 12-year-old Akira with his mother meeting their new landlord. The mother assures the landlord that Akira is her only child, that the father is away on business most of the time, but Akira is very quiet. And they move in. As the movers go away, both Akira and mother open their large suitcases and out pop two younger kids! And Akira runs to the train station to get yet one more younger sibling.
Mom is not what you would call stable, she is childish...not child-like, but childish. Self-centered, she makes the kids, except for Akira stay in ALL THE TIME, for fear of losing this apartment. She comes home drunk after looking for a new boyfriend, and talks openly about all the kids have a different father. She tells them they should not even want to go to school, and in one scene tells Akira he is selfish because he wants to.
And then she disappears, for several weeks she is gone, and Akira has to keep the house together. She returns for a night, and then is gone again, vowing to return by Christmas. She is with her new boyfriend, who does not even know about these kids. And she won't tell him for fear of losing him. And cries to Akira, "Why can't I have some happiness?"
She leaves some money and is gone, and this somber 12-year-old boy, who seems not to know how to play, must take care of three younger kids.
And you see slowly whatever light he had in his eyes disappear. And the tragic effects of a 12-year-old taking care of three younger kids becomes more an more apparent. the moments of believing that their mom will come back fade even in the younger children, and they know they are left alone, as the money runs out and their gas and electricity and water is cut off.
Nobody Knows is wonderfully well made...really amazing. But in a society especially like Japan, where no one sticks their nose in anyone else's business, that these kids go unnoticed, that their plight remains unseen...is so sad.
We first see 12-year-old Akira with his mother meeting their new landlord. The mother assures the landlord that Akira is her only child, that the father is away on business most of the time, but Akira is very quiet. And they move in. As the movers go away, both Akira and mother open their large suitcases and out pop two younger kids! And Akira runs to the train station to get yet one more younger sibling.
Mom is not what you would call stable, she is childish...not child-like, but childish. Self-centered, she makes the kids, except for Akira stay in ALL THE TIME, for fear of losing this apartment. She comes home drunk after looking for a new boyfriend, and talks openly about all the kids have a different father. She tells them they should not even want to go to school, and in one scene tells Akira he is selfish because he wants to.
And then she disappears, for several weeks she is gone, and Akira has to keep the house together. She returns for a night, and then is gone again, vowing to return by Christmas. She is with her new boyfriend, who does not even know about these kids. And she won't tell him for fear of losing him. And cries to Akira, "Why can't I have some happiness?"
She leaves some money and is gone, and this somber 12-year-old boy, who seems not to know how to play, must take care of three younger kids.
And you see slowly whatever light he had in his eyes disappear. And the tragic effects of a 12-year-old taking care of three younger kids becomes more an more apparent. the moments of believing that their mom will come back fade even in the younger children, and they know they are left alone, as the money runs out and their gas and electricity and water is cut off.
Nobody Knows is wonderfully well made...really amazing. But in a society especially like Japan, where no one sticks their nose in anyone else's business, that these kids go unnoticed, that their plight remains unseen...is so sad.
Movie-The Life Before Her Eyes
This is one of those movies I wanted to like a whole lot better than I actually did. The Life Before Her Eyes (2007) has a great premise, really good leads in Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Woods, and some really great cinematography.
But the way the story is told, with too much confusion, and not enough surety, undermines the plot and casts the job Thurman does into the crapper, because she can't act her way out of the absurdity of where the script brings her.
Woods plays the younger version of Thurman's character, Diana. Diana survived a Columbine type massacre at her high school, whose anniversary is fast approaching. Ans she is starting to become unravelled. She has a very good life now, but as we flash back into her past, we see she was a trouble maker, and a troubled youth. And we watch as the day of the massacre approaches, to see why Diana as Thurman is losing it in present time so badly.
And it is the present time story that I had trouble with. The script causes Diana to lose it so badly, we can't tell reality from figments of her imagination. And there seems to be no basis for this...this is the 15th anniversary of the massacre...is that a magic number that makes her go bonkers? Have the other anniversaries just caused her a bit of anxiety, but she is fine? Why now? Why this time does she go deep into illusion that she sees total illusions? It just does not make much sense.
There are some good aspects of the story...the past story was really good, and Evan Rachel Woods is a fine actress. I just wich the presnet story could have been more cohesive and made more sense in the story as a whole.
But the way the story is told, with too much confusion, and not enough surety, undermines the plot and casts the job Thurman does into the crapper, because she can't act her way out of the absurdity of where the script brings her.
Woods plays the younger version of Thurman's character, Diana. Diana survived a Columbine type massacre at her high school, whose anniversary is fast approaching. Ans she is starting to become unravelled. She has a very good life now, but as we flash back into her past, we see she was a trouble maker, and a troubled youth. And we watch as the day of the massacre approaches, to see why Diana as Thurman is losing it in present time so badly.
And it is the present time story that I had trouble with. The script causes Diana to lose it so badly, we can't tell reality from figments of her imagination. And there seems to be no basis for this...this is the 15th anniversary of the massacre...is that a magic number that makes her go bonkers? Have the other anniversaries just caused her a bit of anxiety, but she is fine? Why now? Why this time does she go deep into illusion that she sees total illusions? It just does not make much sense.
There are some good aspects of the story...the past story was really good, and Evan Rachel Woods is a fine actress. I just wich the presnet story could have been more cohesive and made more sense in the story as a whole.
Movie-Trade
Trade (2007) is a movie that can be tough to watch because its subject is tough, the international sex slave trade, especially the trade in kids.
But I thought this was a well made movie, starring Kevin Klein, in an unusual role for him, that of a cop off his usual beat (insurance) but trying to uncover this sex trade. There is a reason for him being involved, but I would give away too much of the story if I revealed it. He runs into another person trying to uncover the trade route, a young Mexican man, really a boy, a thug, who accidentally got his 13 year old sister caught up in this web of illicit sex.
Some of the scenes are very disturbing, and are tough to watch. But there is a sort of redemption in the end. Not complete, or very neat, but it is there.
Trade is daring to tackle this subject, and it comes out of a journalistic expose, some of which takes place right at our border. It treats the subject with gravity, and never indulges in titillation, but horror instead, as the subject warrants. It is a very good movie, that is a little bit thriller, a little bit detective, and very sad.
But I thought this was a well made movie, starring Kevin Klein, in an unusual role for him, that of a cop off his usual beat (insurance) but trying to uncover this sex trade. There is a reason for him being involved, but I would give away too much of the story if I revealed it. He runs into another person trying to uncover the trade route, a young Mexican man, really a boy, a thug, who accidentally got his 13 year old sister caught up in this web of illicit sex.
Some of the scenes are very disturbing, and are tough to watch. But there is a sort of redemption in the end. Not complete, or very neat, but it is there.
Trade is daring to tackle this subject, and it comes out of a journalistic expose, some of which takes place right at our border. It treats the subject with gravity, and never indulges in titillation, but horror instead, as the subject warrants. It is a very good movie, that is a little bit thriller, a little bit detective, and very sad.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
TV Finale-Medium
Ah...a sure sign of summer...the last TV show of the season aired this week for us.
Medium is over for the year, and went off in good style, with a very tense episode (even though I could see who the bad guy was from the get go) as Allison gets sicker from a brain tumor, but must keep dreaming to save her family.
We enjoy this show more for the personal aspects than the procedural aspects, because it really is a procedural, just with a psychic connection instead of a forensics lab. But the family and especially the marriage of Allison and Joe make the show good watching. It is one of the better marriages portrayed on TV...in its love and in its aggravation.
Medium will be back, though not on NBC. When NBC announced its new schedule, it dropped Medium and about...oh...2 seconds later, CBS picked it up and scheduled it on Fridays with Ghost Whisperer, so I plan on continuing to watch it.
Medium is over for the year, and went off in good style, with a very tense episode (even though I could see who the bad guy was from the get go) as Allison gets sicker from a brain tumor, but must keep dreaming to save her family.
We enjoy this show more for the personal aspects than the procedural aspects, because it really is a procedural, just with a psychic connection instead of a forensics lab. But the family and especially the marriage of Allison and Joe make the show good watching. It is one of the better marriages portrayed on TV...in its love and in its aggravation.
Medium will be back, though not on NBC. When NBC announced its new schedule, it dropped Medium and about...oh...2 seconds later, CBS picked it up and scheduled it on Fridays with Ghost Whisperer, so I plan on continuing to watch it.
The Andrew Awards-Best Supporting Actor
With Best Supporting Actor, all the major Andrew Awards will be given out, though I am still awaiting release of other nominated best documentaries and best foreign films (hell, I am still waiting for two of the previous years foreign films) two categories I love.
The nominess for best supporting actor are: Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight; Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder; Josh Brolin in Milk; Mike Shannon in Revolutionary Road; and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt.
And the winner is...Oh c'mon, there is absolutely no tension or question in this category. Heath Ledger wins this by leaps and bounds, no one else is even close.
Some have whispered that maybe he won because he tragically died. No. Maybe he was nominated because of that, as films like The Dark Knight do not usually get notice from the Academy. But he won because he was amazing as the Joker. And no one can say any of the other actors were cheated. They were all good, but Ledger was perfect.
The nominess for best supporting actor are: Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight; Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder; Josh Brolin in Milk; Mike Shannon in Revolutionary Road; and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt.
And the winner is...Oh c'mon, there is absolutely no tension or question in this category. Heath Ledger wins this by leaps and bounds, no one else is even close.
Some have whispered that maybe he won because he tragically died. No. Maybe he was nominated because of that, as films like The Dark Knight do not usually get notice from the Academy. But he won because he was amazing as the Joker. And no one can say any of the other actors were cheated. They were all good, but Ledger was perfect.
Movie-Revolutionary Road
Revolutionary Road was an Oscar nominated movie with Mike Shannon nominated for Best Supporting Actor. He did not win.
This movie made me want to slit my wrists. It was as dark and bleak as they come. It certainly was not the re-team up of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet that all those Titanic lovers were hoping for. Because in Revolutionary Road (2008) the two start off in love, but through most of the movie we just see them hating each other, arguing bitterly, hurting each other, screaming at each other....well, you get the idea.
They play a young married couple in the 1950's in Connecticut, who had dreams of another life. But they get stuck in a rut, and with the repressive society of that era and with marriage being repressive (so I read into it) they lose all hopes and dreams, and end up being forced into roles they did not want. And end up screaming at each other the rest of the film.
There are a few moments of the film that I hoped would bring out some light, but these fizzled, and it resumed its dark course. I understand dramas can be bleak, but this one really puts the tort in tortuous. DiCaprio and Winslet play their roles well, but given the material, I can't say I enjoyed watching them. Some say Winslet should have won an Oscar for this rather than The Reader, to which I say modestly....BS! And I will leave it at that.
Look, if you are feeling too happy in your relationship, or you are too high on life...rent this film...it'll take care of that for you. If you are starting a relationship, maybe having her over for a homecooked meal, renting a movie...thinking, "Hey, Leo and Kate, must be romantic." Don't do it! It'll end the relationship, because after seeing this film, no one will want to be in a relationship...EVER.
Many critics loved this movie...I did not.
This movie made me want to slit my wrists. It was as dark and bleak as they come. It certainly was not the re-team up of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet that all those Titanic lovers were hoping for. Because in Revolutionary Road (2008) the two start off in love, but through most of the movie we just see them hating each other, arguing bitterly, hurting each other, screaming at each other....well, you get the idea.
They play a young married couple in the 1950's in Connecticut, who had dreams of another life. But they get stuck in a rut, and with the repressive society of that era and with marriage being repressive (so I read into it) they lose all hopes and dreams, and end up being forced into roles they did not want. And end up screaming at each other the rest of the film.
There are a few moments of the film that I hoped would bring out some light, but these fizzled, and it resumed its dark course. I understand dramas can be bleak, but this one really puts the tort in tortuous. DiCaprio and Winslet play their roles well, but given the material, I can't say I enjoyed watching them. Some say Winslet should have won an Oscar for this rather than The Reader, to which I say modestly....BS! And I will leave it at that.
Look, if you are feeling too happy in your relationship, or you are too high on life...rent this film...it'll take care of that for you. If you are starting a relationship, maybe having her over for a homecooked meal, renting a movie...thinking, "Hey, Leo and Kate, must be romantic." Don't do it! It'll end the relationship, because after seeing this film, no one will want to be in a relationship...EVER.
Many critics loved this movie...I did not.
Movie-Smile
Smile (2005) very much had the pacing and acting of a Lifetime or Hallmark movie. That is not to say it was terrible or anything, it just was not that great. But I did love the point it was trying to make, and I'll get to that in just a bit.
Smile is about a Malibu teenager who is going through all the problems that spoiled girls her age go through. She is a pretty good kid though, with parents that are a wee bit too permissive and too cool. But Katie also has a teacher that is encouraging kids to get involved in a program to help other kids around the world with disfiguring birth defects...cleft palates, hare lips...things like that, and Katie (finally) does get involved.
This takes her to China as a volunteer, and takes her out of her own issues as she meets a girl who was born the same day she was and needs an operation to fix her face.
Yeah...a lot of over-drawn drama to get to the point of it all, but like I said, I liked the point. Look, I am not against cosmetic surgery. But we have all seen these people who spend tens of thousands of dollars in this quest to look perfect!
I will by-pass the whole concept of perfection for the moment, and whether that is even something worth seeking, but the money these people have spent, still does not make them feel better about themselves...they keep going back for more...it is never good enough. Perhaps, if they used those resources that they have, and helped these disfigured children, maybe their egos would have some fulfillment after all...maybe they need to see what a surgery, not for perfection, but for normalcy, can do for someone, how it can change their life.
Smile is not much of a movie, but it makes that point very well.
Smile is about a Malibu teenager who is going through all the problems that spoiled girls her age go through. She is a pretty good kid though, with parents that are a wee bit too permissive and too cool. But Katie also has a teacher that is encouraging kids to get involved in a program to help other kids around the world with disfiguring birth defects...cleft palates, hare lips...things like that, and Katie (finally) does get involved.
This takes her to China as a volunteer, and takes her out of her own issues as she meets a girl who was born the same day she was and needs an operation to fix her face.
Yeah...a lot of over-drawn drama to get to the point of it all, but like I said, I liked the point. Look, I am not against cosmetic surgery. But we have all seen these people who spend tens of thousands of dollars in this quest to look perfect!
I will by-pass the whole concept of perfection for the moment, and whether that is even something worth seeking, but the money these people have spent, still does not make them feel better about themselves...they keep going back for more...it is never good enough. Perhaps, if they used those resources that they have, and helped these disfigured children, maybe their egos would have some fulfillment after all...maybe they need to see what a surgery, not for perfection, but for normalcy, can do for someone, how it can change their life.
Smile is not much of a movie, but it makes that point very well.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Movie- My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs
There have been times in my life when people who have met me have thought I am gay...I'll admit it. They come up with various reasons..."You're in touch with your feminine side." "You get along with women so well." But I think the real reason is that I like Broadway musicals! Yes, its true!...I go along singing songs from Phantom. I play the soundtrack to Fiddler on the Roof in my car. I knew what stanza Susan Boyle missed in her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miz on Britain's Got Talent.
So, I have this CD and wanted to see the broadcast of it.
OK...technically not a movie, My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs is a concert on DVD. And while I bypassed many of the songs, some of the performances were incredible. But the highlight was Julie Andrews. Now this is just a guess, but I think it was her first singing after a botched throat surgery that left her ablility to ever sing again in doubt. Because the audience reaction is just wonderful...you can feel the air being sucked out of the room as she beautifully sings a few lins from My Fair Lady...and they are on their feet with joy that this legend has returned to song.
So...I will go on loving this music. It is music I have always loved, and probably always will. And the DVD was enjoyable to watch. So sue me!
So, I have this CD and wanted to see the broadcast of it.
OK...technically not a movie, My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs is a concert on DVD. And while I bypassed many of the songs, some of the performances were incredible. But the highlight was Julie Andrews. Now this is just a guess, but I think it was her first singing after a botched throat surgery that left her ablility to ever sing again in doubt. Because the audience reaction is just wonderful...you can feel the air being sucked out of the room as she beautifully sings a few lins from My Fair Lady...and they are on their feet with joy that this legend has returned to song.
So...I will go on loving this music. It is music I have always loved, and probably always will. And the DVD was enjoyable to watch. So sue me!
Movie-Sahara
OK, this is just a decent action/adventure movie. Not the best ever made, but certainly not the worst, Sahara (2005) has a likeable cast in Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz (both easy on the eyes) and Steve Zahn as McCon's sidekick.
Like many movies in this category, it defies logic many times, and the bad guys with automatic weapons are terrible aims, while the good guys with one bullet in an ancient pistol are really good.
Sahara is a fun diversion, good popcorn munching, mindless fun, type of movie.
Like many movies in this category, it defies logic many times, and the bad guys with automatic weapons are terrible aims, while the good guys with one bullet in an ancient pistol are really good.
Sahara is a fun diversion, good popcorn munching, mindless fun, type of movie.
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