Defining Unscientific
According to The Numbers, 71 comedies have grossed in excess of $100 million in North American Box Office returns.
By my very unscientific analysis, 31 percent of these starred an actor from Saturday Night Live. This feels, to me, pretty significant, and a rough way of inidcating the real impact the show has had on comedy in this country.
Until Whenever
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Won't You Sing with Me?
Taking a page from Tom, here are the ABCs of things Tosy and Cosh love:
A.I. - A deeply moving, gorgeous movie with a central performance that stands as the best child performance I've seen since Henry Thomas in E.T.
Bono - The best singer in rock, for my money.
Coltrane, John - Just try listening to A Love Supreme and not being moved.
Deadwood - Whose second season I am enjoying immensely.
E.T. - Stop making me cry, damn it!
Freaks and Geeks - This just might be the biggest hole in my DVD collection. If you are a fan and haven't been reading Alan Sepinwall's recaps - stop reading my drivel and get there now!!!
Goldthwait, Bobcat - A much funnier comic than you might imagine.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Mightily duels A Charlie Brown Christmas for the title of "best Christmas special ever."
Indiana Jones IV - I'm loving what little bits have spilled out so far.
Jones, Edward P. - My favorite, if least prolific (one novel), literary writer working today.
King, Stephen - The storyteller of a generation. Or two. Or three.
Lost - The best television show on the air now.
Mann, Aimee - Who is overdue for a new album.
Nixon in China - Opera can be fun!
Ocean, The - Is anything as enervating as a swim in the ocean?
Part, Arvo - An Estonian composer who writes slow, seemingly simple, devastating music for choir.
Queen - There ain't no Freddie Mercurys any more.
Radiohead - Cause sometimes I needs me artsy-fartsy.
Sondheim - The man who has never had a smash hit will be remembered, and performed, a hundred years hence much more than such hitmakers as Andrew Lloyd Weber and Stephen Schwartz. Count on it.
Tunnel of Love - The forgotten Springsteen album.
U2 - The band I live and breathe.
Vivid - A great debut album from a band that never got back to those heights again (Living Colour).
Where You Are - Tracy Chapman's unjustly ignored most recent album.
XTC - I actually don't love these guys as much as like them, but finding Xs is hard!
Young, Neil - It took me a long time to realize that what Young does best is write and perform delicate, ethereal ballads.
Zooropa - A little bit of artsy-fartsy from U2.
Until Whenever
Taking a page from Tom, here are the ABCs of things Tosy and Cosh love:
A.I. - A deeply moving, gorgeous movie with a central performance that stands as the best child performance I've seen since Henry Thomas in E.T.
Bono - The best singer in rock, for my money.
Coltrane, John - Just try listening to A Love Supreme and not being moved.
Deadwood - Whose second season I am enjoying immensely.
E.T. - Stop making me cry, damn it!
Freaks and Geeks - This just might be the biggest hole in my DVD collection. If you are a fan and haven't been reading Alan Sepinwall's recaps - stop reading my drivel and get there now!!!
Goldthwait, Bobcat - A much funnier comic than you might imagine.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Mightily duels A Charlie Brown Christmas for the title of "best Christmas special ever."
Indiana Jones IV - I'm loving what little bits have spilled out so far.
Jones, Edward P. - My favorite, if least prolific (one novel), literary writer working today.
King, Stephen - The storyteller of a generation. Or two. Or three.
Lost - The best television show on the air now.
Mann, Aimee - Who is overdue for a new album.
Nixon in China - Opera can be fun!
Ocean, The - Is anything as enervating as a swim in the ocean?
Part, Arvo - An Estonian composer who writes slow, seemingly simple, devastating music for choir.
Queen - There ain't no Freddie Mercurys any more.
Radiohead - Cause sometimes I needs me artsy-fartsy.
Sondheim - The man who has never had a smash hit will be remembered, and performed, a hundred years hence much more than such hitmakers as Andrew Lloyd Weber and Stephen Schwartz. Count on it.
Tunnel of Love - The forgotten Springsteen album.
U2 - The band I live and breathe.
Vivid - A great debut album from a band that never got back to those heights again (Living Colour).
Where You Are - Tracy Chapman's unjustly ignored most recent album.
XTC - I actually don't love these guys as much as like them, but finding Xs is hard!
Young, Neil - It took me a long time to realize that what Young does best is write and perform delicate, ethereal ballads.
Zooropa - A little bit of artsy-fartsy from U2.
Until Whenever
Monday, August 13, 2007
Meme^4
Jaquandor, knowing that resistance is futile and that I will steal a meme as soon as I’d take a sip of water, tags me with the below. Jaq’s fun twist on this meme is that participants are encouraged to add a question before tagging. So:
Four jobs I've had or currently have in my life:
1. Proposal writer – writing business proposals for a large accounting/professional services firm
2. Copywriter—writing copy for a small marketing firm
3. Account rep – formatting and overseeing production and quality control of airline menus
4. Membership rep – renewing memberships and processing dues payments for members of Actors’ Equity
(fun stuff, huh?)
Four countries I have been to:
1. Poland
2. Estonia
3. Lithuania
4. Russia
(I did a tour of Eastern Europe with the Rutgers University Glee Club eleven or so years ago)
Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Home, playing with two rambunctious three-year olds
2. Exiting the ocean, and about to plop down in a beach chair with my iPod playing Neon Bible and reading Until I Find You
3. In the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, floating in a swimming hole
4. Finally watching that DVD of King Kong I got at Christmas
Four foods I like to eat:
1. Good and spicy Buffalo wings veritably smothered in blue cheese dressing
2. Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream
3. A tender and towering lamb osso bucco
4. Warm chocolate chip cookies just out of the oven dipped into cold whole milk
Four personal heroes, past or present:
1. Bono
2. Stephen Sondheim
3. Beethoven
4. Stephen King
(I know I should be more political, and that none of these remarkably talented men are really "heroes," but they are the ones whose works have moved me the most)
Four songs it would hurt the most to never hear again (New Question!):
1. “Where the Streets Have No Name” – U2
2. “No More” – Stephen Sondheim
3. “Check It Out” – John Mellencamp
4. “Sugar Baby” – Bob Dylan
Until Whenever
Jaquandor, knowing that resistance is futile and that I will steal a meme as soon as I’d take a sip of water, tags me with the below. Jaq’s fun twist on this meme is that participants are encouraged to add a question before tagging. So:
Four jobs I've had or currently have in my life:
1. Proposal writer – writing business proposals for a large accounting/professional services firm
2. Copywriter—writing copy for a small marketing firm
3. Account rep – formatting and overseeing production and quality control of airline menus
4. Membership rep – renewing memberships and processing dues payments for members of Actors’ Equity
(fun stuff, huh?)
Four countries I have been to:
1. Poland
2. Estonia
3. Lithuania
4. Russia
(I did a tour of Eastern Europe with the Rutgers University Glee Club eleven or so years ago)
Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Home, playing with two rambunctious three-year olds
2. Exiting the ocean, and about to plop down in a beach chair with my iPod playing Neon Bible and reading Until I Find You
3. In the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, floating in a swimming hole
4. Finally watching that DVD of King Kong I got at Christmas
Four foods I like to eat:
1. Good and spicy Buffalo wings veritably smothered in blue cheese dressing
2. Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream
3. A tender and towering lamb osso bucco
4. Warm chocolate chip cookies just out of the oven dipped into cold whole milk
Four personal heroes, past or present:
1. Bono
2. Stephen Sondheim
3. Beethoven
4. Stephen King
(I know I should be more political, and that none of these remarkably talented men are really "heroes," but they are the ones whose works have moved me the most)
Four songs it would hurt the most to never hear again (New Question!):
1. “Where the Streets Have No Name” – U2
2. “No More” – Stephen Sondheim
3. “Check It Out” – John Mellencamp
4. “Sugar Baby” – Bob Dylan
Until Whenever
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Watchcry!
Inspired by a post at Byzantium's Shores, I compiled the following list of beliefs I hold dear around the arts. I very well may add to this, but the beliefs listed here do a good job, I think, of summarizing how I feel about art.
My Credo
I believe that, while entertainment is one of the most worthy aspirations art can aspire to, art should not be judged on that basis alone, nor on any one single basis at all. Art need not necessarily move me, or make me think, or entertain me (although it must do at least one of those, and will often do two or three in tandem) – but it must engage me.
I believe that at the very extremes of the scale, art can be judged objectively. So, for example, that Citizen Kane is a better movie than Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii is not mere opinion, but actual fact. I caveat this belief in two important ways: First, note that this is only true at the extreme ends of the scale. So while I may think that The Shawshank Redemption is a better movie than Trading Places, I would not go so far as to call that a fact. A defensible opinion, but not a fact. Second, while it may be a fact that, again for example, Citizen Kane is a better movie than Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii, it does not necessarily follow that a viewer must enjoy the former over the latter. We are entitled as consumers of art to enjoy whatever we want (a point that seems obvious and yet is often disputed). So preferring Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii over Citizen Kane is not wrong. However, insisting that that fact makes it valid to claim that the former is better than the latter is wrong.
I believe that, in the arts, the ends justify the means. If an actress achieves a convincing, absorbing, and completely believable scene of sobbing through the use of sniffed onions, this does not make her performance lesser than an equally convincing, absorbing, and completely believable scene of sobbing achieved without external aids. A good model is better than bad CGI, and vice versa. There is nothing inherently more authentic about models vs. CGI, or hand-drawn animation vs. computer animation, or location shooting versus green screen. All that matters is the finished product and how well it does or does not work within its own frame.
I believe that reading a good novel provides pleasures a movie never could in a million years. And vice versa.
I believe that the notion that a long-running serial (TV show, comic book) can somehow devalue its early quality trough later lesser quality is false. The first three seasons of The West Wing are no less great because of the less-than-great last four seasons. Concurrently, I’d much rather have three seasons of greatness followed by four seasons of mediocrity than one season of greatness.
I believe that acting range is valued too little by the film industry and the film-going public. An actor should be encouraged and rewarded for creating unique characters, for being unrecognizable from film to film, and should be discouraged and punished for creating a persona and repeating it. Alas, the reality is pretty much exactly the opposite.
(Thank you Sondheim) Form follows function.
Until Whenever
Inspired by a post at Byzantium's Shores, I compiled the following list of beliefs I hold dear around the arts. I very well may add to this, but the beliefs listed here do a good job, I think, of summarizing how I feel about art.
My Credo
I believe that, while entertainment is one of the most worthy aspirations art can aspire to, art should not be judged on that basis alone, nor on any one single basis at all. Art need not necessarily move me, or make me think, or entertain me (although it must do at least one of those, and will often do two or three in tandem) – but it must engage me.
I believe that at the very extremes of the scale, art can be judged objectively. So, for example, that Citizen Kane is a better movie than Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii is not mere opinion, but actual fact. I caveat this belief in two important ways: First, note that this is only true at the extreme ends of the scale. So while I may think that The Shawshank Redemption is a better movie than Trading Places, I would not go so far as to call that a fact. A defensible opinion, but not a fact. Second, while it may be a fact that, again for example, Citizen Kane is a better movie than Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii, it does not necessarily follow that a viewer must enjoy the former over the latter. We are entitled as consumers of art to enjoy whatever we want (a point that seems obvious and yet is often disputed). So preferring Saved by the Bell Goes to Hawaii over Citizen Kane is not wrong. However, insisting that that fact makes it valid to claim that the former is better than the latter is wrong.
I believe that, in the arts, the ends justify the means. If an actress achieves a convincing, absorbing, and completely believable scene of sobbing through the use of sniffed onions, this does not make her performance lesser than an equally convincing, absorbing, and completely believable scene of sobbing achieved without external aids. A good model is better than bad CGI, and vice versa. There is nothing inherently more authentic about models vs. CGI, or hand-drawn animation vs. computer animation, or location shooting versus green screen. All that matters is the finished product and how well it does or does not work within its own frame.
I believe that reading a good novel provides pleasures a movie never could in a million years. And vice versa.
I believe that the notion that a long-running serial (TV show, comic book) can somehow devalue its early quality trough later lesser quality is false. The first three seasons of The West Wing are no less great because of the less-than-great last four seasons. Concurrently, I’d much rather have three seasons of greatness followed by four seasons of mediocrity than one season of greatness.
I believe that acting range is valued too little by the film industry and the film-going public. An actor should be encouraged and rewarded for creating unique characters, for being unrecognizable from film to film, and should be discouraged and punished for creating a persona and repeating it. Alas, the reality is pretty much exactly the opposite.
(Thank you Sondheim) Form follows function.
Until Whenever
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
The T&C 100 - #s 40-49
49. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)
What struck me the most upon a recent reviewing of this film was how beautiful it is, from a purely aesthetic point of view. I'm not sure the story is as strong as it might be, but the aching, melancholic quality of the visuals, especially the fights, as anchored by on one of the young century's great scores, make the film.
Favorite moment: That first chase/fight between the Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang characters.
48. Mary Poppins (1964)
To these ears, "Chim Chim Cheree" possesses one of the all-time great melodies, just a remarkable tune. On top of that, of course, is Andrews' peerless performance as Mary Poppins, enchanting mixing of animation and live action, Dick Van Dyke's inspired dancing, Ed Wynn laughing, the classic stuffiness of David Tomlinson, and a passel of other none-too-shabby songs to boot. But what holds the whole embarrassment of riches together is the perfectly pitched tone, at just the right distance between earnestness and humor.
Favorite moment: Towards the end, Bert ironically sings to Mr. Banks of Poppins' faults. So well acted by both gentleman.
47. Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (2002)
The love story, to at least some degree, is supposed to feel hammy - the point being that these are two people who have never interacted this way with a member of the opposite sex. Anakin's "sand" speech is supposed to be awkward and lame. That aside, the mystery and intrigue angle, of where this clone army came from, is very well-handled, and the epic first battle of the Clone Wars is just stunning in scope and visual detail and inventiveness.
Favorite moment: Yoda kicks all sorts of ass. A moment that by all rights should not work, that should be corny and laughable, and yet, because of the great character work of Frank oz and the animators who followed him, grabs us by the throat.
46. Good Will Hunting (1997)
A tender, well-written, and well-acted little drama. Affleck and Damon have become such superstars and celebrities that it's hard to remember how quirky and sweetly slow the screenplay is. And Robin Williams may never have been better.
Favorite moment: Will and Skylar's first date, so perfectly pitched, not as the typical deep-meaning, meet-cute Hollywood date, but as an aimless, wandering, guarded first date that feels completely real.
45. Titanic (1997)
I've hoed these rows before, but I still insist that, had Titanic flopped, critics would today still be bemoaning that audiences didn't appreciate such a glorious throwback to epic Hollywood storytelling. But it made a BILLION DOLLARS so critics had to attack it. A shame.
Favorite moment: The string quartet starts to disband as the ship sinks. The lead violinist, knowing he has no chance of surviving, plays alone. And the other members, realizing what he's doing and what the reality is, come back to play with him one last time, figuring that their last hours on earth could hardly be spent in any better way.
44. Jurassic Park (1993)
A tight story, well-told, and with special effects that, fourteen years later, hold up wonderfully. A very well-balanced blend of adventure and awe, with the perfect amount of seriousness and weight.
Favorite moment: Hammond eating his melted ice cream as his dreams crumble around him.
43. Magnolia (1999)
A great ensemble in a shaggy, bursting-at-the-seams story full of heartache and sadness, with fleeting hints of beauty.
Favorite moment: All of our principals sing along to Aimee Mann's great "Wise Up" in one of my all-time favorite film montages.
42. Aliens (1986)
One of the great action movies, full of suspense, frights, and momentum. It's been an unforgivably long time since I've seen this film.
Favorite moment: Weaver's reveal at the end, in the big construction suit.
41. Se7en (1995)
Morgan Freeman doing deep-seated weariness better than anyone, with Kevin Spacey putting in a truly creepy performance, and Brad Pitt showing us that yes, Virginia, he can act (something he proved again a few months later the same year in 12 Monkeys). A twist-laden film that holds up under repeat viewings.
Favorite moment: Freeman comes to dinner - he plays those quiet moments so well.
41 Stand By Me (1986)
A more real-feeling portrait of being a young, teenaged boy has not been put to screen. It's the chemistry among the young cast that really sells it, and makes the journey they take resonate with us.
Favorite moment: Gordy breaks down.
Until Whenever
49. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)
What struck me the most upon a recent reviewing of this film was how beautiful it is, from a purely aesthetic point of view. I'm not sure the story is as strong as it might be, but the aching, melancholic quality of the visuals, especially the fights, as anchored by on one of the young century's great scores, make the film.
Favorite moment: That first chase/fight between the Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang characters.
48. Mary Poppins (1964)
To these ears, "Chim Chim Cheree" possesses one of the all-time great melodies, just a remarkable tune. On top of that, of course, is Andrews' peerless performance as Mary Poppins, enchanting mixing of animation and live action, Dick Van Dyke's inspired dancing, Ed Wynn laughing, the classic stuffiness of David Tomlinson, and a passel of other none-too-shabby songs to boot. But what holds the whole embarrassment of riches together is the perfectly pitched tone, at just the right distance between earnestness and humor.
Favorite moment: Towards the end, Bert ironically sings to Mr. Banks of Poppins' faults. So well acted by both gentleman.
47. Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (2002)
The love story, to at least some degree, is supposed to feel hammy - the point being that these are two people who have never interacted this way with a member of the opposite sex. Anakin's "sand" speech is supposed to be awkward and lame. That aside, the mystery and intrigue angle, of where this clone army came from, is very well-handled, and the epic first battle of the Clone Wars is just stunning in scope and visual detail and inventiveness.
Favorite moment: Yoda kicks all sorts of ass. A moment that by all rights should not work, that should be corny and laughable, and yet, because of the great character work of Frank oz and the animators who followed him, grabs us by the throat.
46. Good Will Hunting (1997)
A tender, well-written, and well-acted little drama. Affleck and Damon have become such superstars and celebrities that it's hard to remember how quirky and sweetly slow the screenplay is. And Robin Williams may never have been better.
Favorite moment: Will and Skylar's first date, so perfectly pitched, not as the typical deep-meaning, meet-cute Hollywood date, but as an aimless, wandering, guarded first date that feels completely real.
45. Titanic (1997)
I've hoed these rows before, but I still insist that, had Titanic flopped, critics would today still be bemoaning that audiences didn't appreciate such a glorious throwback to epic Hollywood storytelling. But it made a BILLION DOLLARS so critics had to attack it. A shame.
Favorite moment: The string quartet starts to disband as the ship sinks. The lead violinist, knowing he has no chance of surviving, plays alone. And the other members, realizing what he's doing and what the reality is, come back to play with him one last time, figuring that their last hours on earth could hardly be spent in any better way.
44. Jurassic Park (1993)
A tight story, well-told, and with special effects that, fourteen years later, hold up wonderfully. A very well-balanced blend of adventure and awe, with the perfect amount of seriousness and weight.
Favorite moment: Hammond eating his melted ice cream as his dreams crumble around him.
43. Magnolia (1999)
A great ensemble in a shaggy, bursting-at-the-seams story full of heartache and sadness, with fleeting hints of beauty.
Favorite moment: All of our principals sing along to Aimee Mann's great "Wise Up" in one of my all-time favorite film montages.
42. Aliens (1986)
One of the great action movies, full of suspense, frights, and momentum. It's been an unforgivably long time since I've seen this film.
Favorite moment: Weaver's reveal at the end, in the big construction suit.
41. Se7en (1995)
Morgan Freeman doing deep-seated weariness better than anyone, with Kevin Spacey putting in a truly creepy performance, and Brad Pitt showing us that yes, Virginia, he can act (something he proved again a few months later the same year in 12 Monkeys). A twist-laden film that holds up under repeat viewings.
Favorite moment: Freeman comes to dinner - he plays those quiet moments so well.
41 Stand By Me (1986)
A more real-feeling portrait of being a young, teenaged boy has not been put to screen. It's the chemistry among the young cast that really sells it, and makes the journey they take resonate with us.
Favorite moment: Gordy breaks down.
Until Whenever
Oz Rules
I typically go to Aint-It-Cool for scoops and news and the like - not for long-form reading (there are exceptions). But this interview with Frank Oz is well worth a read, if for nothing else but how completely open and honest and genuine Oz comes across as. How open? I've only read the first third of the interview, but had to break away to post, just because the naked frankness of this exchange impressed me so:
Capone: Since your brought up STEPFORD WIVES, I think it's fair to say it was not a kindly received. What do you think happened there?
Frank Oz: I fucked up.
How awesome is that?
Until Whenever
I typically go to Aint-It-Cool for scoops and news and the like - not for long-form reading (there are exceptions). But this interview with Frank Oz is well worth a read, if for nothing else but how completely open and honest and genuine Oz comes across as. How open? I've only read the first third of the interview, but had to break away to post, just because the naked frankness of this exchange impressed me so:
Capone: Since your brought up STEPFORD WIVES, I think it's fair to say it was not a kindly received. What do you think happened there?
Frank Oz: I fucked up.
How awesome is that?
Until Whenever
Monday, August 06, 2007
On the Nightstand 
The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Michael Chabon
That Chabon can create a remarkably real-feeling, historically speaking, world in a novel was proven in his lauded The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. So that he has done it again with the imagined post World War II Alaskan Jewish settlement of Sitka here is no real surprise. But the plotting that impressed in Kavalier and Clay is here a bit more muddy. maybe it's a function of my not having read the book in a sustained burst, but over the span of a few weeks, but I found myself frankly at sea and befuddled by the tying up of the plot threads in the end of the book - the big revelations about Meyer Landsman's (the main character) sister, the driving murder mystery of the novel, the larger conspiracy laden world that features heavily in the climax - all of it was confusing and murky to this reader. That being said, the richness of Chabon's prose and characters and the stunning specificity of the world and setting he has created more than made up for it. It's an odd duck, really - almost as if Chabon, fearful of being pegged too "literary," and proud of his love of pulpy plots and thrilling revelations, pushed against his instinct of writing a more low-key and less eventful "literary" novel by amping up the thriller/mystery angles of his story. And I really kind of wish he hadn't.
The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Michael ChabonThat Chabon can create a remarkably real-feeling, historically speaking, world in a novel was proven in his lauded The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. So that he has done it again with the imagined post World War II Alaskan Jewish settlement of Sitka here is no real surprise. But the plotting that impressed in Kavalier and Clay is here a bit more muddy. maybe it's a function of my not having read the book in a sustained burst, but over the span of a few weeks, but I found myself frankly at sea and befuddled by the tying up of the plot threads in the end of the book - the big revelations about Meyer Landsman's (the main character) sister, the driving murder mystery of the novel, the larger conspiracy laden world that features heavily in the climax - all of it was confusing and murky to this reader. That being said, the richness of Chabon's prose and characters and the stunning specificity of the world and setting he has created more than made up for it. It's an odd duck, really - almost as if Chabon, fearful of being pegged too "literary," and proud of his love of pulpy plots and thrilling revelations, pushed against his instinct of writing a more low-key and less eventful "literary" novel by amping up the thriller/mystery angles of his story. And I really kind of wish he hadn't.
A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the making of Blood on the Tracks - Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard
A very readable, pleasant accounting of the creation of one of my favorite albums ever that didn't really engross me the way I expected it too. Still, the first-hand reminisces of the session players - both the New York players whose work was famously mostly discarded and the Minneapolis players whose work replaced the New York stuff - made the book easily worth the read. I'm always surprised by how good real musicians are - the accountings of Dylan barely playing through a song for them before they were to record it just amazed me. After all, the musicianship on display in the finished product is hardly sub-par.
Until Whenever
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Yes, It Was Only Upon Watching This for the First Time That I Finally Realized Where "Sundance" Comes From in "The Sundance Film Festival"
While I enjoyed the film quite a bit, it didn't immediately shove its way into my top 100 like The Iron Giant did. Still, it was easy to see where the affection for the film I've seen evidenced over the years came from. Really remarkable chemistry between, not just Newman and Redford (but there too of course) but between the guys and Katherine Ross as well. That the acting in the film is so solid really surprised me - not only were the leads great interacting, but they each effortlessly etched out their characters with deliberate, spare strokes (especially Ross, who gets a lot less screen time than the guys). I was also surprised at just how sexy that introduction-of-Etta scene is, with Sundance playing at making her undress at gunpoint; when I think of sexy filmmakers, I don't really think of Goldman.
What struck me the most, though, is how somber a film this is. I mean, for all of the jokiness and for all of the light banter, this is, in the end, a pretty straightforward tragedy - with two protagonists whose natures must lead to their downfalls. That Butch and Sundance pretty much go back into a life of crime knowing that it will kill them really made a strong statement. As did the bit with Etta leaving (she had told them earlier that she wouldn't stick around to see Sundance killed, so when she leaves it's pretty clear what she thinks is going to happen). The hopelessness of the long (maybe a bit too long) hunted-by-the-super-posse scene, the moment when Butch kills, the sadness of the Ross character - all of these elements were pretty glum. Don't get me wrong - again, I liked the movie - but it was certainly less happy-go-lucky than I had believed it to be, even having read the screenplay many years ago in William Goldman's excellent follow-up to the classic Adventures in the Screen Trade, Which Lie Did I Tell (More Adventures in the Screen Trade).
Until Whenever
While I enjoyed the film quite a bit, it didn't immediately shove its way into my top 100 like The Iron Giant did. Still, it was easy to see where the affection for the film I've seen evidenced over the years came from. Really remarkable chemistry between, not just Newman and Redford (but there too of course) but between the guys and Katherine Ross as well. That the acting in the film is so solid really surprised me - not only were the leads great interacting, but they each effortlessly etched out their characters with deliberate, spare strokes (especially Ross, who gets a lot less screen time than the guys). I was also surprised at just how sexy that introduction-of-Etta scene is, with Sundance playing at making her undress at gunpoint; when I think of sexy filmmakers, I don't really think of Goldman.What struck me the most, though, is how somber a film this is. I mean, for all of the jokiness and for all of the light banter, this is, in the end, a pretty straightforward tragedy - with two protagonists whose natures must lead to their downfalls. That Butch and Sundance pretty much go back into a life of crime knowing that it will kill them really made a strong statement. As did the bit with Etta leaving (she had told them earlier that she wouldn't stick around to see Sundance killed, so when she leaves it's pretty clear what she thinks is going to happen). The hopelessness of the long (maybe a bit too long) hunted-by-the-super-posse scene, the moment when Butch kills, the sadness of the Ross character - all of these elements were pretty glum. Don't get me wrong - again, I liked the movie - but it was certainly less happy-go-lucky than I had believed it to be, even having read the screenplay many years ago in William Goldman's excellent follow-up to the classic Adventures in the Screen Trade, Which Lie Did I Tell (More Adventures in the Screen Trade).
Until Whenever
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The T&C 100 - #s 50-59
59. Love, Actually (2003)
This may well be (I'm actually too lazy to ALT-TAB over to my full list and check - pretty impressive, no?) my favorite romantic comedy. What surprises me so much is that the "anthology" approach of putting dozens of loosely related characters in one movie and telling all of their interconnected stories works so well in this genre. The plot thread with Liam Neeson and the little kid may well be my favorite - I love how it hinges on throwing reason to the wind and how it never deigns to mock the child for his feelings.
Favorite moment: The bow-tying ending, scored to the majestic organ sounds of "God Only Knows," when we see all of the characters at the airport.
59. The Sixth Sense (1999)
I, alas, saw this after having had the ending spoiled, so wasn't able to experience that thrill of awareness at realizing what has been going on. That the movie still spooked, moved, and engrossed me speaks to the fact that it is more than just a simple twist ending that made the film such a hit.
Favorite moment: Haley-Joel Osment's monologue to his mother near the end when they are stuck in traffic. Just a wonderfully acted scene by both Osment and Toni Collette.
58. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
I've seen precious few films that communicate sheer joy and happiness so well. The plot is dopey and kind of pointless, but the singing and dancing make us not care a whit.
Favorite moment: Donald O' Connor defying the laws of gravity. Try to watch that dance and not smile. Can't be done.
57. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
That Harris kind of trashed the character of Hannibal Lecter in follow-up novels has been well-hashed out; but this film stands up extremely well on its own, divorced from its sequels and prequels. The chemistry between Foster and Hopkins makes what could have been a pretty straightforward thriller into something much more.
Favorite moment: Lecter's gory escape from his cell. Still can't think about it without getting mightily creeped out.
56. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Roger Ebert's oft-quoted line about how this film should be mandatory viewing for teenagers is none the less true for its ubiquity - never have the destructive and rapturous qualities of drugs been more brutally depicted.
Favorite moment: The quick-cutting, horrific climax, set to that hypnotic bit of scoring from Clint Mansell.
55. The Truman Show (1998)
I don't think Jim Carrey has ever been better - even in Eternal Sunshine, where it's really Kate Winslet who carries the day. I love both the high concept and the dedication to that concept shown. (my favorite detail being the notion that musicians improv themes live to Truman's life to play along with the TV show, much like the silent film organists of yore. I also love that, while the film is scored by Burkhard Dallwitz, it is Phillip Glass who we see on the keyboards, and who provides the score-within-a-score that the Truman Show audience hears.)
Favorite moment: when Truman figures out (kind of) what is going on, and freaks out accordingly.
54. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
As a teenager (I was fourteen when the film was released) I didn't notice the faults that I've, as a grown-up, come to understand and regret (the cartoonification of Sallah and Marcus, the retread of so much Raiders material), but the film still has much so much to recommend it that I can't help but love it anyway. Ford plays the weariness of Jones so well, the sense of having been through all of this too many times before; it makes me positively giddy over how well he'll be able to convey that sense of aged wisdom and exhaustion in the upcoming epilogue. And the casting of Connery (burr notwithstanding) was a coup - he and Ford play remarkably well together, and the fleshing out of Jones' history is engaging and earned; I like learning more about this guy.
Favorite moment: Jones' disbelieving reaction to surviving the plummet of the tank and still being alive; it's easy to forget how well Ford portrayed Indiana Jones as a man surprised by what he does, as opposed to a coolly confident action hero.
53. X-Men II (2003)
The best of the trilogy, and a great superhero film. Very well constructed, with some stellar action sequences and (mostly) great casting. Jackman, Stewart, and McKellan form a trio of actors so well-suited to their parts that it's easy to forget how easily it could have gone another way.
Favorite moment: Jackman leaving Stryker - the man responsible for torturing and brainwashing him - to die. Well-played.
52. Star Wars: Episode VI—The Return of the Jedi (1983)
I probably loved this more as a ten-year old than I do now, but for all of its faults, there are moments in here that I will treasure always. I still haven't gone back and rewatched the six Star Wars films as one long story; when I do, seeing how the climax to the whole series - Vader killing the Emperor to save his son - plays will be seven flavors of awesome.
Favorite moment: The unmasking of Vader, and his quiet death, scored to a haunting, pianissimo rendition of Vader's theme.
51. The Iron Giant (1999)
It's here, at 51, after just a week. I suspect that if I did this again a year from now it will have moved up some. See here for my thoughts from last week; suffice it to say I cannot stop thinking about this film.
50. Jaws (1975)
A pretty much perfect film, with just the right blend of suspense, gore, character moments, and drama. Put all together, it feels effortless, but if just one element were out of balance the whole thing would have failed.
Favorite moment: A cliche, but can you blame me? Quint's monologue.
Until Whenever
59. Love, Actually (2003)
This may well be (I'm actually too lazy to ALT-TAB over to my full list and check - pretty impressive, no?) my favorite romantic comedy. What surprises me so much is that the "anthology" approach of putting dozens of loosely related characters in one movie and telling all of their interconnected stories works so well in this genre. The plot thread with Liam Neeson and the little kid may well be my favorite - I love how it hinges on throwing reason to the wind and how it never deigns to mock the child for his feelings.
Favorite moment: The bow-tying ending, scored to the majestic organ sounds of "God Only Knows," when we see all of the characters at the airport.
59. The Sixth Sense (1999)
I, alas, saw this after having had the ending spoiled, so wasn't able to experience that thrill of awareness at realizing what has been going on. That the movie still spooked, moved, and engrossed me speaks to the fact that it is more than just a simple twist ending that made the film such a hit.
Favorite moment: Haley-Joel Osment's monologue to his mother near the end when they are stuck in traffic. Just a wonderfully acted scene by both Osment and Toni Collette.
58. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
I've seen precious few films that communicate sheer joy and happiness so well. The plot is dopey and kind of pointless, but the singing and dancing make us not care a whit.
Favorite moment: Donald O' Connor defying the laws of gravity. Try to watch that dance and not smile. Can't be done.
57. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
That Harris kind of trashed the character of Hannibal Lecter in follow-up novels has been well-hashed out; but this film stands up extremely well on its own, divorced from its sequels and prequels. The chemistry between Foster and Hopkins makes what could have been a pretty straightforward thriller into something much more.
Favorite moment: Lecter's gory escape from his cell. Still can't think about it without getting mightily creeped out.
56. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Roger Ebert's oft-quoted line about how this film should be mandatory viewing for teenagers is none the less true for its ubiquity - never have the destructive and rapturous qualities of drugs been more brutally depicted.
Favorite moment: The quick-cutting, horrific climax, set to that hypnotic bit of scoring from Clint Mansell.
55. The Truman Show (1998)
I don't think Jim Carrey has ever been better - even in Eternal Sunshine, where it's really Kate Winslet who carries the day. I love both the high concept and the dedication to that concept shown. (my favorite detail being the notion that musicians improv themes live to Truman's life to play along with the TV show, much like the silent film organists of yore. I also love that, while the film is scored by Burkhard Dallwitz, it is Phillip Glass who we see on the keyboards, and who provides the score-within-a-score that the Truman Show audience hears.)
Favorite moment: when Truman figures out (kind of) what is going on, and freaks out accordingly.
54. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
As a teenager (I was fourteen when the film was released) I didn't notice the faults that I've, as a grown-up, come to understand and regret (the cartoonification of Sallah and Marcus, the retread of so much Raiders material), but the film still has much so much to recommend it that I can't help but love it anyway. Ford plays the weariness of Jones so well, the sense of having been through all of this too many times before; it makes me positively giddy over how well he'll be able to convey that sense of aged wisdom and exhaustion in the upcoming epilogue. And the casting of Connery (burr notwithstanding) was a coup - he and Ford play remarkably well together, and the fleshing out of Jones' history is engaging and earned; I like learning more about this guy.
Favorite moment: Jones' disbelieving reaction to surviving the plummet of the tank and still being alive; it's easy to forget how well Ford portrayed Indiana Jones as a man surprised by what he does, as opposed to a coolly confident action hero.
53. X-Men II (2003)
The best of the trilogy, and a great superhero film. Very well constructed, with some stellar action sequences and (mostly) great casting. Jackman, Stewart, and McKellan form a trio of actors so well-suited to their parts that it's easy to forget how easily it could have gone another way.
Favorite moment: Jackman leaving Stryker - the man responsible for torturing and brainwashing him - to die. Well-played.
52. Star Wars: Episode VI—The Return of the Jedi (1983)
I probably loved this more as a ten-year old than I do now, but for all of its faults, there are moments in here that I will treasure always. I still haven't gone back and rewatched the six Star Wars films as one long story; when I do, seeing how the climax to the whole series - Vader killing the Emperor to save his son - plays will be seven flavors of awesome.
Favorite moment: The unmasking of Vader, and his quiet death, scored to a haunting, pianissimo rendition of Vader's theme.
51. The Iron Giant (1999)
It's here, at 51, after just a week. I suspect that if I did this again a year from now it will have moved up some. See here for my thoughts from last week; suffice it to say I cannot stop thinking about this film.
50. Jaws (1975)
A pretty much perfect film, with just the right blend of suspense, gore, character moments, and drama. Put all together, it feels effortless, but if just one element were out of balance the whole thing would have failed.
Favorite moment: A cliche, but can you blame me? Quint's monologue.
Until Whenever
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
One Week Later
So - Harry Potter thoughts. The most overriding thought is that I wish I had reread the sixth book first. Rowling's universe is really a pretty dense one, and I there were plenty of details and small plot turns I feared I was underappreciating not having refreshed myself in Potter lore prior to reading. That minor caveat out of the way, we will venture into spoiler territory:
OK?
OK. What impressed me the most was something I was kind of down on originally - that being the structural change in the series, with Harry and mates no longer at Hogwarts for the year. Initially I thought the change kind of cheap - the symmetrist in me wanted the books final book to share that same overriding structure. But upon reading Book 7, it became clear what Rowling was up to - the change in structure makes it much clearer for the reader exactly how much has changed for the characters themselves; the structural shift serves as a kind of metaphor for the real danger the characters now live in. This worked beautifully. I also liked the rootless, wandering nature of the middle section, with Ron, Harry, and Hermione hiding out all over England. I can understand how some felt it went on too long, but, again, I think it did a lot to add to our empathy towards these characters' fear and the very substantial stakes they faced. I also loved how Rowling, again, in opposition to the structure set up in Books 1-6, started things out so explosively, with the big set piece of Harry's escape from Privet drive, and the taking of casualties right from the start. It set the tone of real consequences and danger right from the start.
As far as the actual plot goes, again, I feel I need to reread to see how the whole Hallows and Horcruxes stuff really plays - it felt needlessly convoluted, but that may have just been my dim memory playing tricks on me. And unlike many, I liked the epilogue, and appreciated that Rowling felt it important to show us that the orphaned Harry, he of the loveless, abused childhood, ended up with a strong, loving happy family and large extended family of relatives and friends. That it painted a picture of quiet suburban domesticity didn't bother me, as A) it was clearly what Harry wanted, and B), we really didn't get a picture of how Harry spends all of his time. That he might still have adventures and lead an exciting life is hardly out of the question. What the epilogue did leave me wanting, though, much to my surprise, was a "next generation" series starring Ron and Hermione's and Harry and Ginny's kids. On paper, such a thing sounds hokey and crass - but in execution, I'm betting it could be a lot of fun.
Until Whenever
Friday, July 27, 2007
Doin' the Friday Shuffle
Because I'm still all a-tingly from the poster below, I present an all-Sweeney shuffle!
1. "Pretty Women" - Stephen Sondheim (Mark Jacoby and Alexander Gemignani) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
From the stripped-down version with cast members doubling as the on-stage orchestra. The result is a piano-heavy, spare reduction of the score that somehow (while it will never replace the brilliance of Jonathan Tunick's original orchestrations) works very well on its own terms. This is one of the prettiest songs in the score, a touching, sweet elegy to the wondrousness of women undercut by the fact that it is being sung by a revenge-bent maniac and the youth-defiling judge who stole his wife many years ago.
2. "Prelude and Ballad of Sweeney Todd" - Stephen Sondheim - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The perfect scene setter. I love the so-gothic pipe organ intro, the shrill factory whistle and the dark, unsettling Ballad of Sweeney Todd that follows. When Sweeney comes in at the end - goosebumps. And listen to the harmonies when the chorus comes in en mass for the first time. Great stuff.
3. "Ladies in their Sensibilities" - Stephen Sondheim (Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
Gemignani's good, but he can't get at the ridiculously plummy and officious tone Jack Eric Williams affected in the original.
4. "Epiphany" - Stephen Sondheim (George Hearn) - Sweeney Todd in Concert
From the Lincoln Center concert, with the old-hand Hearn (he was in the original tour with Angela Lansbury back in the seventies) filling in for an injured Byrn Terfel. I love hearing this music performed by the Philharmonic. This is my favorite song in the musical theatre repertoire, with Sweeney losing his mind and deciding to kill the poor fools who come to him for a share. Hearn is just great.
This clip is from the original touring cast, not the concert.
5. "Wait" - Stephen Sondheim (Patti LuPone) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
Probably my least-favorite song in the score, although LuPone acquits herself nice here.
6. "By the Sea" - Stephen Sondheim (Angela Lansbury) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The demented, cannibalism-suggesting Mrs. Lovett sings of her imagined life of domestic bliss with Todd. I can't wait to see Helena Bonham Carter do this.
7. "Ladies in Their Sensibilities" - Stephen Sondheim (Jack Eric Williams) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
See number five above - just a great vocal performance here, with some pure and ringing high notes that have to be heard to be believed.
8. "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" - Stephen Sondheim (Ensemble) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The finale, a reprise of the opening number. I love the high falsetto verse sung by Pirelli and the Beadle, and how it contrasts with the big wall of sound version in the opening.
9. "The Contest" - Stephen Sondheim (Joaquin Romaquera) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
I played Pirelli in high school, and sang this. Very, very high.
10. "Act I, Part I" - Stephen Sondheim - Sweeney Todd (Covent Garden)
I recorded this off of a live radio feed - it's the full opera version done by the English Royal Opera Company at Covent Garden a few years back. Hence the "Act I, Part I" - it came through in big chunks. One of the few Broadway shows that holds up when done by an opera company.
Until Whenever
Because I'm still all a-tingly from the poster below, I present an all-Sweeney shuffle!
1. "Pretty Women" - Stephen Sondheim (Mark Jacoby and Alexander Gemignani) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
From the stripped-down version with cast members doubling as the on-stage orchestra. The result is a piano-heavy, spare reduction of the score that somehow (while it will never replace the brilliance of Jonathan Tunick's original orchestrations) works very well on its own terms. This is one of the prettiest songs in the score, a touching, sweet elegy to the wondrousness of women undercut by the fact that it is being sung by a revenge-bent maniac and the youth-defiling judge who stole his wife many years ago.
2. "Prelude and Ballad of Sweeney Todd" - Stephen Sondheim - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The perfect scene setter. I love the so-gothic pipe organ intro, the shrill factory whistle and the dark, unsettling Ballad of Sweeney Todd that follows. When Sweeney comes in at the end - goosebumps. And listen to the harmonies when the chorus comes in en mass for the first time. Great stuff.
3. "Ladies in their Sensibilities" - Stephen Sondheim (Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
Gemignani's good, but he can't get at the ridiculously plummy and officious tone Jack Eric Williams affected in the original.
4. "Epiphany" - Stephen Sondheim (George Hearn) - Sweeney Todd in Concert
From the Lincoln Center concert, with the old-hand Hearn (he was in the original tour with Angela Lansbury back in the seventies) filling in for an injured Byrn Terfel. I love hearing this music performed by the Philharmonic. This is my favorite song in the musical theatre repertoire, with Sweeney losing his mind and deciding to kill the poor fools who come to him for a share. Hearn is just great.
This clip is from the original touring cast, not the concert.
5. "Wait" - Stephen Sondheim (Patti LuPone) - Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)
Probably my least-favorite song in the score, although LuPone acquits herself nice here.
6. "By the Sea" - Stephen Sondheim (Angela Lansbury) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The demented, cannibalism-suggesting Mrs. Lovett sings of her imagined life of domestic bliss with Todd. I can't wait to see Helena Bonham Carter do this.
7. "Ladies in Their Sensibilities" - Stephen Sondheim (Jack Eric Williams) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
See number five above - just a great vocal performance here, with some pure and ringing high notes that have to be heard to be believed.
8. "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" - Stephen Sondheim (Ensemble) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
The finale, a reprise of the opening number. I love the high falsetto verse sung by Pirelli and the Beadle, and how it contrasts with the big wall of sound version in the opening.
9. "The Contest" - Stephen Sondheim (Joaquin Romaquera) - Sweeney Todd (Original Broadway Cast)
I played Pirelli in high school, and sang this. Very, very high.
10. "Act I, Part I" - Stephen Sondheim - Sweeney Todd (Covent Garden)
I recorded this off of a live radio feed - it's the full opera version done by the English Royal Opera Company at Covent Garden a few years back. Hence the "Act I, Part I" - it came through in big chunks. One of the few Broadway shows that holds up when done by an opera company.
Until Whenever
Thursday, July 26, 2007
So Encouraged
Don't know if he can sing, but this is pretty much perfect, no?
Don't know if he can sing, but this is pretty much perfect, no?
Details I like:
The red fabric on the chair in the otherwise colorless room.
The glimpse of Big Ben through the window of what is clearly a top-floor room (the room over the pie shop, in other words)
The wonderful terseness of the tagline, taken right from the show ("he never forgets and he never forgives")
The trunk in the background (which Sweeney fans will recognize as important in the musical)
The portrait of what I'm guessing is Lucy and Johanna in the background
The red peeking through the floorboards under Todd's feet.
I got me some goosebumps.
Until Whenever
Sniff
One of the perils of watching a film on your commuter train is the risk of unwanted tears. Face it, no manly man worth his salt wants to be seen sniffing away tears by his fellow, anonymous commuters. Which is why I'm kind of bummed that I saw The Iron Giant for the first time on the train. Talk about the hype being worth it - what a beautiful, poetic, moving film. The moment that got to me the most, oddly enough, was when the Iron Giant flies for the first time, and Hogarth tells him to put his arms in front of him, like Superman. When he does? Killed me. I've read in many places of Brad Bird's genius, but having seen only The Incredibles I wasn't really able to grasp what people were talking about. Now I do. I was also surprised by how beautifully animated it is - sad, isn't it, that in such a short time I've kind of forgotten how great traditional animation can be?
Until Whenever
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Random Top Ten
Random Top Ten!!
Top Ten Simpsons Episodes
10. Homer's Phobia
Homer frets that Bart may be gay, with an all-time great guest appearance by John Waters. I love that, in coming up with a gay character, the writers give us John, not a swishy, dramatic, cliched gay man, but a soft-spoken, very non-dramatic gay man who loves kitsch.
9. Rosebud
A Citizen Kane parody that I loved well before I understood that it was a Citizen Kane parody, and well before I ever saw Citizen Kane. Maybe Burns' best episode.
8. And Maggie Makes Three
Maggie's birth - one of the most touching Simpsons episodes ever. And the driving plot point of Homer finally being able to live his life's dream of working at (not owning, working at) a bowling alley is great.
7. You Only Move Twice
A superb episode that features a James Bond parody on the margins - Homer gets a great job, with a great boss who just happens to be a James Bond villain intent on ruling the world. That neither Homer nor any of the main characters ever figure this out is what makes it perfect.
6. Two Bad Neighbors
George W. Bush moves in across the street. That the show was able to pull off such a bizarre plot (and the sly nodding of that plot to the forced "guest star" episodes of sitcom tradition in which the regular characters implausibly interact with famous people; where else but in a cartoon could such a guest star be the ex-President of the United States?) is testimony to its genius.
5. Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie
A great parody of the sitcom trend of adding a character to spice up an aging show - the bits with the Simpsons new boarder Roy are hilarious.
4. Cape Feare
The best of the Sideshow Bob episodes, and the episode featuring the fable rake sequence.
3. Homer's Enemy
Another great meta-referencing episode, with a new employee at the plant reacting to Homer as we would if homer were real - shock, awe, and disgust.
2. A Streetcar Named Marge
The great Jon Lovitz' best showcase on the series, as the dramatic director of the community theater production of the musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire. Also the best musical numbers the show has produced.
1. Bart Sells His Soul
A canny and unbeatable blend of great humor (the b-plot of Moe turning his bar into a Bennigan's clone is great) and real pathos. And the church congregation singing In-A-Gada-Da-Vida. Classic.
Until Whenever
Random Top Ten!!
Top Ten Simpsons Episodes
10. Homer's Phobia
Homer frets that Bart may be gay, with an all-time great guest appearance by John Waters. I love that, in coming up with a gay character, the writers give us John, not a swishy, dramatic, cliched gay man, but a soft-spoken, very non-dramatic gay man who loves kitsch.
9. Rosebud
A Citizen Kane parody that I loved well before I understood that it was a Citizen Kane parody, and well before I ever saw Citizen Kane. Maybe Burns' best episode.
8. And Maggie Makes Three
Maggie's birth - one of the most touching Simpsons episodes ever. And the driving plot point of Homer finally being able to live his life's dream of working at (not owning, working at) a bowling alley is great.
7. You Only Move Twice
A superb episode that features a James Bond parody on the margins - Homer gets a great job, with a great boss who just happens to be a James Bond villain intent on ruling the world. That neither Homer nor any of the main characters ever figure this out is what makes it perfect.
6. Two Bad Neighbors
George W. Bush moves in across the street. That the show was able to pull off such a bizarre plot (and the sly nodding of that plot to the forced "guest star" episodes of sitcom tradition in which the regular characters implausibly interact with famous people; where else but in a cartoon could such a guest star be the ex-President of the United States?) is testimony to its genius.
5. Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie
A great parody of the sitcom trend of adding a character to spice up an aging show - the bits with the Simpsons new boarder Roy are hilarious.
4. Cape Feare
The best of the Sideshow Bob episodes, and the episode featuring the fable rake sequence.
3. Homer's Enemy
Another great meta-referencing episode, with a new employee at the plant reacting to Homer as we would if homer were real - shock, awe, and disgust.
2. A Streetcar Named Marge
The great Jon Lovitz' best showcase on the series, as the dramatic director of the community theater production of the musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire. Also the best musical numbers the show has produced.
1. Bart Sells His Soul
A canny and unbeatable blend of great humor (the b-plot of Moe turning his bar into a Bennigan's clone is great) and real pathos. And the church congregation singing In-A-Gada-Da-Vida. Classic.
Until Whenever
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The T&C 100 - #s 60-69
As I indicated before, the numbering is going to get a bit wacky here, given that I am adding some films I forgot and am too lazy to go back and renumber stuff. This is why there's a random #72 in here for this edition. It doesn't replace the original #72, it just gets added - call it a tie.
72. The Constant Gardner (2005)
I still mean to go back and read the novel this film was based on; the story and characters impacted me that much. I thought the filmmakers did an excellent job of bringing the audience into this very unfamiliar African world, with a wonderful sense of time and place created. The story is a heartbreaking one, and Rachel Weisz, in her relatively short time on screen, is luminous.
Favorite moment: When Justin is told that his wife is dead. Fiennes does a fine job of delineating the man's shocked grief that's neither under or overstated.
69. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace (1999)
I'm one of the few who make no bones about loving the prequel trilogy. So there. And while this may be the weakest of the three, it's really not the film's fault - as the first film in a six-film series, it has a lot of setting up to do. I do wish Lucas had done some things differently (I'm not sure why we need to meet Anakin as such a young boy, especially considering the truly dreadful performance Jake Lloyd gives), but what gets lost in the endless criticisms is how much he got right- seeing the Jedi in action, the introduction of R2D2, the parallels to the original film, Darth Maul, that final lightsaber battle.
Favorite moment: Seeing Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon demonstrate their effortless skill in the opening sequence. I still remember the palpable thrill I got in the theater eight years ago when I first saw that scene.
68. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
A taut, bloody, profane, and very close-to-the-bone crime drama, with great performances by Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth. I love how the frame never widens, how we never see the police responding, or the victims, or anyone besides the criminals involved in the heist and anyone who comes into that circle. For the record? Still can't watch Madsen sever that cop's ear.
Favorite moment: When the Tim Roth character reveals himself to be a cop. Didn't see it coming.
67. Crash (2004)
I still think that a lot of the blowback this film got from the critics and on-line film buffs was a matter of good liberals simply not liking the message - that we are all racists in some way, whether we like it or not. But what I love about the movie is how it takes a modern message film told through many viewpoints (a la Traffic) and puts it through a very deliberately Dickensian classic storytelling mode, full of coincidences and last-minute revelations. Genius.
Favorite moment: When the Thandie Newton character realizes who is saving her.
66. Toy Story II (1999)
Few cinematic moments are as sad as Jessie the Cowgirls song and flashback. And that fact - that a moment involving a kids' toy singing about its owner is so profoundly moving - is all that really needs to be said about how good Pixar is.
Favorite moment: Just described it.
65. Moonstruck (1987)
Such a re-watchable movie, so well-written and so well-realized (try to watch it and not get a craving for good Italian gravy). I don't typically care for Cher at all, but here she's just great. I love movies set firmly in the real world that aren't afraid of a little poeticism.
Favorite moment: Loretta meets Ronny.
64. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
I worshipped this movie as a child. I've always thought that a lot of the criticism that gets made against it in comparison to the other two Indy films has a lot to do with the fact that the "magic" here is based in Eastern religion, and not good-ol' Christianity. That sequence in the club in the beginning is a classic set piece, and the last half-hour or so of the film pretty much never lets up.
Favorite moment: When Indy, having snapped out of his trance, winks at Short Round. Awesome.
63. Spider-Man (2002)
OK, so they messed up the Green Goblin a little, and kinda mushed Gwen and Mary Jane together into one character, but Spider-Man himself was perfect, and, more importantly, so was Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. And to actually see Spider-Man webslinging through Manhattan? A geek dream come true.
Favorite moment: When Parker goes after the carjacker, learning to websling on the fly.
62. Notting Hill (1999)
A charming, sweet, and very funny romantic comedy with a pretty unique premise - what happens when the average bloke falls in love with a huge movie star?
Favorite moment: Anna and William's first night together. Played very sweetly.
61. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
I love how this film, more than anything, is a tragedy about two characters, and how little it's about "homosexuality" in any overt way. Ang Lee astonishes me with his range - he's now done a Western, a martial arts film, a Jane Austen period piece, a super-hero film, and a 70s suburban drama. What can't he do?
Favorite moment: Ennis smelling Jacks shirt.
60. Dances with Wolves (1990)
Isn't it kind of funny that seventeen years later so few films have addressed Native Americans as openly and honestly as this one? Grandly epic, beautiful, and inspiring, with an all-time great score.
Favorite moment: Dunbar being rescued from the soldiers near the end. Thrilling.
Until Whenever
As I indicated before, the numbering is going to get a bit wacky here, given that I am adding some films I forgot and am too lazy to go back and renumber stuff. This is why there's a random #72 in here for this edition. It doesn't replace the original #72, it just gets added - call it a tie.
72. The Constant Gardner (2005)
I still mean to go back and read the novel this film was based on; the story and characters impacted me that much. I thought the filmmakers did an excellent job of bringing the audience into this very unfamiliar African world, with a wonderful sense of time and place created. The story is a heartbreaking one, and Rachel Weisz, in her relatively short time on screen, is luminous.
Favorite moment: When Justin is told that his wife is dead. Fiennes does a fine job of delineating the man's shocked grief that's neither under or overstated.
69. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace (1999)
I'm one of the few who make no bones about loving the prequel trilogy. So there. And while this may be the weakest of the three, it's really not the film's fault - as the first film in a six-film series, it has a lot of setting up to do. I do wish Lucas had done some things differently (I'm not sure why we need to meet Anakin as such a young boy, especially considering the truly dreadful performance Jake Lloyd gives), but what gets lost in the endless criticisms is how much he got right- seeing the Jedi in action, the introduction of R2D2, the parallels to the original film, Darth Maul, that final lightsaber battle.
Favorite moment: Seeing Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon demonstrate their effortless skill in the opening sequence. I still remember the palpable thrill I got in the theater eight years ago when I first saw that scene.
68. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
A taut, bloody, profane, and very close-to-the-bone crime drama, with great performances by Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth. I love how the frame never widens, how we never see the police responding, or the victims, or anyone besides the criminals involved in the heist and anyone who comes into that circle. For the record? Still can't watch Madsen sever that cop's ear.
Favorite moment: When the Tim Roth character reveals himself to be a cop. Didn't see it coming.
67. Crash (2004)
I still think that a lot of the blowback this film got from the critics and on-line film buffs was a matter of good liberals simply not liking the message - that we are all racists in some way, whether we like it or not. But what I love about the movie is how it takes a modern message film told through many viewpoints (a la Traffic) and puts it through a very deliberately Dickensian classic storytelling mode, full of coincidences and last-minute revelations. Genius.
Favorite moment: When the Thandie Newton character realizes who is saving her.
66. Toy Story II (1999)
Few cinematic moments are as sad as Jessie the Cowgirls song and flashback. And that fact - that a moment involving a kids' toy singing about its owner is so profoundly moving - is all that really needs to be said about how good Pixar is.
Favorite moment: Just described it.
65. Moonstruck (1987)
Such a re-watchable movie, so well-written and so well-realized (try to watch it and not get a craving for good Italian gravy). I don't typically care for Cher at all, but here she's just great. I love movies set firmly in the real world that aren't afraid of a little poeticism.
Favorite moment: Loretta meets Ronny.
64. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
I worshipped this movie as a child. I've always thought that a lot of the criticism that gets made against it in comparison to the other two Indy films has a lot to do with the fact that the "magic" here is based in Eastern religion, and not good-ol' Christianity. That sequence in the club in the beginning is a classic set piece, and the last half-hour or so of the film pretty much never lets up.
Favorite moment: When Indy, having snapped out of his trance, winks at Short Round. Awesome.
63. Spider-Man (2002)
OK, so they messed up the Green Goblin a little, and kinda mushed Gwen and Mary Jane together into one character, but Spider-Man himself was perfect, and, more importantly, so was Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. And to actually see Spider-Man webslinging through Manhattan? A geek dream come true.
Favorite moment: When Parker goes after the carjacker, learning to websling on the fly.
62. Notting Hill (1999)
A charming, sweet, and very funny romantic comedy with a pretty unique premise - what happens when the average bloke falls in love with a huge movie star?
Favorite moment: Anna and William's first night together. Played very sweetly.
61. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
I love how this film, more than anything, is a tragedy about two characters, and how little it's about "homosexuality" in any overt way. Ang Lee astonishes me with his range - he's now done a Western, a martial arts film, a Jane Austen period piece, a super-hero film, and a 70s suburban drama. What can't he do?
Favorite moment: Ennis smelling Jacks shirt.
60. Dances with Wolves (1990)
Isn't it kind of funny that seventeen years later so few films have addressed Native Americans as openly and honestly as this one? Grandly epic, beautiful, and inspiring, with an all-time great score.
Favorite moment: Dunbar being rescued from the soldiers near the end. Thrilling.
Until Whenever
Monday, July 23, 2007
Movies I've Recently Seen
Ah, AFI 100 list, you inspire me so!
On the Waterfront
Well, this was pretty much as good as advertised. I know that the film is more or less Kazan's defense of his own "ratting" to the HUAC folks, but to be frank, my knowledge of US History is pathetic enough for me to not really be comfortable making a judgement as to whether or not that testimony was morally justified or not - I simply don't know. But what I think detractors can miss, probably deliberately, is that in the film Terry Malloy's decision to "rat" is not gray or morally complex - it's pretty simple. These people are killing friends and family, after all - his testimony is hardly controversial in theory. So, stripping away all the layers of meta-subtext, we have an extremely compelling, very well-acted film about a man who, eventually, does the right thing. And with a meaty, for-the-ages performance from Brando sitting at the middle of it. And - oh, yes - a Leonard Bernstein score that's gorgeous, rich icing on a very well-made cake.
To Kill A Mockingbird
Just as touching, and gripping, as I remember the book to be. Great casting afoot here - not just with the obvious greatness that is Peck as Finch, but with the kids, who, after all, command a lot of this screentime. The actress who plays Scout really makes the film - she's so disagreeable, so ornery, so loving, and so comfortable in her own skin that we never question this precocious little girl. And the delicate, surprisingly lovely score was a nice surprise as well. Another one of those stories that I remember as being happier than it is, too - after all, Tom Robbins is killed at the end, after being found guilty of a crime he didn't commit.
Stranger than Fiction
A wonderful high concept. A solid central performance from Will Ferrell that shows that he's not a one-trick pony. Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman as good as they always are. A disarmingly sexy performance from Maggie Gylennhal. A tight script. Inventive direction and uses of visuals. All excellent ingredients. But in the end, the lightness in the way that concept is presented - the disbelieving ease with which the characters react to this completely bizarre conceit of a man living a life being written by a novelist, and of him hearing the novelist as she
writes - kind of derails the whole thing. I mean, at the end, when the Dustin Hoffman character tells the Ferrell character that he has to die because if he doesn't the book won't be great . . . well, they lost me. My love for Edward P. Jones' The Known World has been documented often here, but I would never tell a real person that they should die to make the book so good! Who would? I feel kind of guilty - I liked this film! But it's a pretty big hole and one that I really can't get past.
Until Whenever
Ah, AFI 100 list, you inspire me so!
On the Waterfront
Well, this was pretty much as good as advertised. I know that the film is more or less Kazan's defense of his own "ratting" to the HUAC folks, but to be frank, my knowledge of US History is pathetic enough for me to not really be comfortable making a judgement as to whether or not that testimony was morally justified or not - I simply don't know. But what I think detractors can miss, probably deliberately, is that in the film Terry Malloy's decision to "rat" is not gray or morally complex - it's pretty simple. These people are killing friends and family, after all - his testimony is hardly controversial in theory. So, stripping away all the layers of meta-subtext, we have an extremely compelling, very well-acted film about a man who, eventually, does the right thing. And with a meaty, for-the-ages performance from Brando sitting at the middle of it. And - oh, yes - a Leonard Bernstein score that's gorgeous, rich icing on a very well-made cake.
To Kill A Mockingbird
Just as touching, and gripping, as I remember the book to be. Great casting afoot here - not just with the obvious greatness that is Peck as Finch, but with the kids, who, after all, command a lot of this screentime. The actress who plays Scout really makes the film - she's so disagreeable, so ornery, so loving, and so comfortable in her own skin that we never question this precocious little girl. And the delicate, surprisingly lovely score was a nice surprise as well. Another one of those stories that I remember as being happier than it is, too - after all, Tom Robbins is killed at the end, after being found guilty of a crime he didn't commit.
Stranger than Fiction
A wonderful high concept. A solid central performance from Will Ferrell that shows that he's not a one-trick pony. Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman as good as they always are. A disarmingly sexy performance from Maggie Gylennhal. A tight script. Inventive direction and uses of visuals. All excellent ingredients. But in the end, the lightness in the way that concept is presented - the disbelieving ease with which the characters react to this completely bizarre conceit of a man living a life being written by a novelist, and of him hearing the novelist as she
writes - kind of derails the whole thing. I mean, at the end, when the Dustin Hoffman character tells the Ferrell character that he has to die because if he doesn't the book won't be great . . . well, they lost me. My love for Edward P. Jones' The Known World has been documented often here, but I would never tell a real person that they should die to make the book so good! Who would? I feel kind of guilty - I liked this film! But it's a pretty big hole and one that I really can't get past.
Until Whenever
Question Meme
We're back! And, as Jaq indignantly pointed out in the comments to this post, we have been remiss. The intent of The Questions Meme is to return the favor by asking questions of the questioner as well, and I publicly apologize to Jaq for my tardiness.
So - in the comments to this post are Jaq's questions. And if anyone else would like five questions asked of them, all they need do is ask.
Until Whenever
We're back! And, as Jaq indignantly pointed out in the comments to this post, we have been remiss. The intent of The Questions Meme is to return the favor by asking questions of the questioner as well, and I publicly apologize to Jaq for my tardiness.
So - in the comments to this post are Jaq's questions. And if anyone else would like five questions asked of them, all they need do is ask.
Until Whenever
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