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Reviews
Hollywoodland (2006)
A great film that will make its mark on the Academy if not the masses
Just when I had given up on ever seeing a "Hollywood Star Filled" film along comes a masterful film about the not so famous star of the 1950's television phenomenon, "Superman". I saw the film this evening and Mr. Brody, the director, writer and Ms. Lane were all in attendance but that did not seem to matter much. The film is a real work of artistry. I cannot tell you what a delight is is to go see a film that I have heard nothing about and then sit in the theater totally and thoroughly engaged in a serious film that manages to convince the audience that the art of film making is alive and well. If I had known that Ben Affleck was in the film I would have passed. Its a good thing I did not. He and Diane Lane re-introduce the idea of stardom to film making. They were fantastic. The script was fantastic, the period accuracy enthralling and the long forgotten story riveting. Hollywoodland should prove to be the next "Capote". Congratulations! A 21st Century Noir treat.
Flight 93 (2006)
A film who's time has come...
While I agree with many of the comments about some of "Flight 93's" production value being a bit under-par, it was effortless to dismiss the lack of detail in this area to the more important part and purpose of the film. The filmmaker's job was to tell the under reported and widely unknown stories of the unquestionable heroes of flight 93 in the air and on the ground. Earlier today I heard a national talk radio host assert that movies on the events of September 11, 2001, (In his opinion, this movie in particular) should be a mandatory part of grade school curriculum nationwide to prevent the erosion of time from minimizing the events of 9/11. Just a few years have passed and the signs of "Never Forget", and "United We Stand" have faded from memory and I fear that too many of us have returned to business as usual. This touching story is no less than a record that the "can do", "Live free or die" spirit of America is alive and well. In a classic "lifeboat" scenario the common American Joe illustrates that there is nothing"common" about Americans. This film is essential to me as it vividly reminded me of the microcosmic reality of the miracle that is America; diversity. The heroes of "Flight 93" in the air and on the ground were for the most part perfect strangers, women, men, black, white, Asian, young & old united for a cause greater than self. The glue that held the players in this event together was a selfless love of country, family, and neighbor. The film succeeded best in its handling of the impossible dilemma presented between passengers and families deciding whether or not to attempt to do something to possibly control their fate. Personally, While viewing the program I could not help but be reminded of the timeless quote of 18th century, conservative political philosopher Edmund Burke; "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing." As a personal footnote, I live in midtown Manhattan. On the morning of September 11th, 2001 I voted in local elections before going to work on 15th Street and 9th Avenue. (For those of you who are not familiar with NYC this is the address of the old "Port Authority of New York" office building. Known for its stunning 360 degree views of lower NYC. As it turned out I was 6 minutes late to work. (9:06AM). I wondered why en route to my workplace I encountered countless emergency vehicles racing by the taxi I was in all going in the same direction as I was. I ended up spending the rest of the morning outdoors on a magnificent and warm Indian summer day on the 14th floor balcony watching history unfold before my very eyes. The only thing I could do other than hate was to pray. Seeing the heroes in the TV drama, "Flight 93" tonight I know my prayers were heard. Factoid: The previously mentioned headquarters of the old "Port Authority" was eventually moved in the 1970s to a new, more dynamic location...The World Trade Center.
The Wind (1928)
I don't know where to begin...
I guess I will begin at the beginning. I was fortunate enough sometime around 1988 to attend a Lillian Gish festival at Radio City Music Hall. I was a 20 something year old actor who likely had better ways to spend the night than to go to the LG festival. My friend and television producer told me that it was likely to be very special as the film had been re- mastered and the original score would be performed by an enormous orchestra. I loved what I knew about Miss Gish but it was the orchestra that got me there. sorry to say that I do not recall the name of the couple of shorts that preceded "The Wind" but they were good enough and one featured Lillian and Dorothy Gish. Heaven so far. The orchestra and acoustics in the great hall were spellbinding. The house was packed. Though I cannot confirm this, it was announced that we the audience (nearly 6,000) were the largest audience ever to view a silent film. It got better and better. I love film, I grew up paralyzed by the classics and still love any film where the love of the art reaches me. While I agree about the standing of great films like Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, On the Waterfront et al, "The Wind" paralyzed me in its rudimentary gigantism. In short, I was spellbound. This silent film and nearly pre-historic film crew created a classic that in my opinion shows how little the "art" of film making has progressed. "The Wind" is a standard bearer. The lighting, directorial, acting and technological achievements of this film are staggering. Without getting into the story, the drama that ensues from the very beginning had me on the edge of my seat. I was wholly transported to the very time and place when the story took place and though not a word was spoken, was intimately involved with every character. I don't know why film buffs shy away from silents...in my experience they do. When I take into account the relative infancy of the art of film in 1928 and the challenges that the same infancy must have presented, I bow in awe of the talented team who created this classic. Just hearing the score and seeing the films was enough. However in the grand tradition of RCMH they did not let us go after a unanimous endless standing ovation. As the giant RCMH screen began to retract it revealed, center stage a vibrant, living, nearly 100 Y.O LILIAN GISH, not speaking a single word, but only recreating her last moment of the film. I can die happy.
Bad News Bears (2005)
No matter how you slice it this movie strikes out.
This remake is no remake. BNB 2005 has not one scintilla of the charm or humor of the original. Bad News Bears 2005 is nothing more than another perverted film producer pimping out an American classic for monetary gain. It is more a documentary about America's cultural slide toward degeneracy. The movies' child actors are victims of child abuse and any parent who would take a child to see this movie is guilty of child abuse. Is there any question why box office revenues are plunging when the entertainment holy land Hollywood and all of its artistic geniuses continue as if addicted, to produce obscene and offensive rubbish? BNB is essentially a tragic chronicling of the dissolution of the once great American family and the "new virtue" of celebrating moral depravity. The bad news is that "Rome is burning". Addition on 2/4/06. Where in heaven's name is the possible "spoiler"? Sheesh.
La mala educación (2004)
Don't buy the hype
While I cannot offer comparison between this film and others by Almodovar, I can give you the low down from a unique perspective. I am catholic, gay and live in NYC where I watched the film at a Chelsea neighborhood theatre. I agree with many of the other reviews that the cinematography was top notch, the story compelling though not well developed and the performances were quite good. What was upsetting was the predictable and habitual smug and bigoted treatment of the church by another filmmaker. The crowd in Chelsea was a perfect audience. Predominantly gay, bitter, and likely there out of compunction rather than having heard it was a great film. They laughed at all of the anti-priest, anti-faith, anti-Catholic jabs just when and where they were supposed to. It offended me as a Catholic knowing that the film completely forgot to mention that all over the entire globe the 96 percent of priests who never touched a little boy are suffering when stories like Bad Education are promoted. You know the ones, the priests who have taken vows of poverty and chastity and honor them. The ones who go to the poorest places on earth to care for the people who's great socialist govts. allow to starve and suffer. The priests who educate masterfully, they plant, they build, they bind the wounds of the forgotten, they suffer, and they do the work that the man on the street turns a blind eye to. While I agree that the Catholic priest scandals are unspeakable and unforgivable crimes, they are the exception and not the rule. Rightly, the church is paying dearly for having not addressed the problem on their own. I have no doubt that the church will emerge healthy and strong after paying penance and removing from their ranks the predators who should have never been admitted in the first place. Clearly, the church haters will see this as a church scandal and not a gay one. I find great hypocrisy and prejudice revealed in the equation: Little Boy Scouts and scoutmasters good, alter boys and gay priests bad. This movie addressed a subject that needs to be visited but did nothing toward finding a solution. Under whelming.