F is for eternal, fantasy, zombies

As I've said before, my favorite movies often evoke certain memories. This movie will always remind me of my mother and the brief, but wonderful time we spent living together when I moved back to Michigan. I feel so fortunate that many of my favorite movie memories include her. In fact, I have watched over half of the reviewed films so far with her. Coincidence? Not at all. But let's get back to what makes this movie so special. Where should I start? Is it the wonderful story of a boy's imagination awakened? Or the heart-wrenching performance of young Freddie Highmore whose huge, hazel eyes reduce me to a blubbering idiot? Or is it just one more wonderful Johnny Depp film. I think it's a combination of all those things and so much more. I love the theme that imagination must be encouraged, nurtured, and kept from ever growing up. (thanks, Mom, for being there)

  

Beautiful, exotic locations. Amazing costumes. And a wonderful little girl who will both endear you and wrench your heart out. These are but a few reasons why this film exists on this list. It is the amazing expression of one director's love of movies. This is a wonderful fairy tale filled with tragedy, adventure, and love. It's one of those movies that I watch when I need to be reminded of all the fantasy and wonder there is in the world. My favorite films often do one thing-arouse specific, strong, emotional reactions that linger long after the end credits stop. The scene that does it in this film (actually there are a few, but this is the strongest) is the wonderful montage of great stuntmen. Yep, you guessed it. I become a blubbering idiot, yet again.

 

And now for something completely different. In fact, this is a complete 180 degree turn from the two previous entries. But I love it just the same. Actually it is a heart-warming tale like the other two. It's the story of a boy and his zombie. Yes, I said zombie. What I love about this film is the originality of the story. It takes true talent to make a zombie flick that completely breaks from the genre and gives a fresh, new voice to the undead. Combining the archetypal 50s with flesh-eating creatures, this is a hilarious romp of a movie. Billy Connolly is wonderful as man's best friend.

F is a good letter for great movies. I had to struggle to narrow my reviews to only three. I could have just as easily chosen Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Roald Dahl story told with great, traditional, stop-motion animation. Or The Fisher King, yet another fairy tale set in New York and starring Robin Williams as a tragic hero haunted by a horrific past. Perhaps you'd prefer Full Metal Jacket, Stanley Kubrick's jaunt into Vietnam via the harsh, dehumanizing journey through basic training with the amazing performances of Vincent D'Onofrio and R. Lee Ermey. And there's always Darren Aronofsky's time traveling love story, The Fountain. This is one of those films you either love or hate and I love it. Here's a little known fact-the backgrounds that appear to be CGed are actually micro-photography of chemical reactions.

 

 E is for sideshow, kiwi, prisoner

I have been horrible at posting and for this, I apologize. I could use the excuse that it was difficult to find enough 'e' movies to post, but that would be a lie. I'm just lazy. That being said, it was somewhat hard to find movies to review; however, these three are among my all-time favorites:

 

 

I can tell you where I was the first time I saw this movie. It was at the State theater in downtown Kalamazoo, MI. I remember this because certain movies have a resonance that makes the first time linger in my memory. This poignant story based upon the brief life of John Merrick is full of rich performances by John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, and Anne Bancroft. David Lynch is one of those directors whose films are so odd that people either love them or hate them. This is not one of those films and I think it's because, in this case, reality is stranger than fiction. Filming it in black and white helps transport the audience to a time where sideshow freaks were commonplace. But instead of exploiting Mr. Merrick's life, Lynch successfully brings out the tenderness of a person who never was able to have a normal life. The makeup is stunning, bringing to life a vision which we might only see in a nightmare. And the music in one scene (I don't want to spoil it by saying too much) always brings me to tears, no matter where I hear it.

 

This truly odd story stars one of the most hilarious, new actors out there-Jemaine Clement. Fans of the brilliant but short-lived series, Flight Of The Conchords, know what I'm talking about. The best word to describe this film is quirky. Quirky storyline, quirky performances, quirky animated sequences, quirky everything. That's what makes it so funny. The audience is left to wonder, 'is all of New Zealand like this?' If you're talented enough to scratch your head in wonder at the oddness of it and hold your stomach from laughing so hard, this is the movie for you.

 

Long before Terminator and Batman, or Little Women and Newsies, there was this film. The first of many brilliant performances by Christian Bale and by far the best. With every scene, he proves that not all talent is created. Some people are just born with it. This is a different kind of war film. A tale of loss, imprisonment, starvation, and struggle. Based upon the autobiographical novel by James Ballard, it brings to life a lesser known story of the Japanese invasion of Shanghai and what happened to the British citizens living there. Bale was only 12 when this film was shot, but he holds his own acting with John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. One of Stephen Spielberg's lesser known films, this is one of my favorites.

As I said before, there weren't a lot of 'e' movies to search through; however, it's interesting to note that most of them were really good movies. A few others to note would be Enemy At The Gates, another great war story about two snipers fighting during the battle of Stalingrad starring another favorite actor, Jude Law; Equilibrium, yet one more movie I love that stars Christian Bale, it's the future and emotions are outlawed in the movie that introduced me to gunkata; and of course, Escape From New York, the classic film that introduced the world to the best anti-hero of them all, Snake Plissken. My dad loves to quote him so I'll end this entry with one: "call me Snake."
 

D is for buried, zany, sibling rivalry...

 

 Get ready for another rave review. (In fact, there will be three.) I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about this film. And the premise is completely crazy. Who would think a movie about a man whose forced to get a job preparing bodies for burial could be funny. But it is, as well as poignant, compassionate and freeing. Masahiro Motoki brings a delicacy to the role of Daigo, a young man forced to return to his hometown after his dreams of being a concert cellist are suddenly ended. I hate to sound like a cheesy promo, but I have to: you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to see it again and again.

This, by far, is the funniest movie about nuclear war I have ever seen. In fact, it's in my top 10 best comedies. Stanley Kubrick gathered an incredible cast which includes George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens, and Peter Sellers in an Oscar nominated performance playing three characters. How can a film with characters such as Pres. Muffley, General Jack Ripper, Col. Guano, and Major Kong not be hilarious. I don't think I can ever get tired of watching it. Surprising this came from the same mind that brought us A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut. Finding out that Peter Sellers improvised most of his lines makes me love this film even more.

I have found Wes Anderson is often hit or miss. Either you really enjoy the film or you don't. This film is an absolute gem. I am the youngest of three daughters, so I found the sibling relationships fascinating to watch. I wouldn't go so far as to say each of our personalities matched these three, but there were some eerie, hilarious similarities. Add to this a great script, soundtrack, and cinematography and this is one of Anderson's best.

Here I thought 'c' was a hard letter to choose. I had to really think about which 3 to highlight. I could have easily chosen Das Boot, one of the best WWII films made. Or The Descent, a fantastic horror film about six women cavers who face all kinds of terror deep underground. Then there's District 9, a sci-fi film filled with so much social commentary you nearly forget there are aliens in it. And I can't end this post without mentioning one of my favorite Disney films, Dumbo. Not only does it have the cutest damn elephant in it, it also includes a song that has never failed to make me a blubbering idiot: "Baby mine don't you cry". Excuse me, I've got to get a kleenex.

 C is for animated, infertile, love...

I love claymation and Nick Park and Peter Lord (the makers of Wallace & Gromit-another favorite) are the best. Back when Mel Gibson wasn't crazy (remember those days) he lent his voice to this wonderful take on World War II escape movies like 'The Great Escape' and 'Stalag 17'. These references help to endear the film to adults as well as their children. With lots of obvious laughs and even more fun poked at Mr. Gibson, this is a great movie for the whole family. I never get tired of watching it.

If you haven't seen this movie, you are missing out on one of the best sci-fi movies of the past decade. This is not because it's full of amazing cg shots, great alien worlds, or lots of make-up clad actors. This film has a fascinating plot-a probable future of infertility, a strong, mostly ignored performance by Clive Owen, and some of the most intense moments caught on film in recent movie history. Director Alfonso Cuaron proves why he's one of the best film-makers around with his use of long shots that build in intensity until you practically fall out of your seat. The best example is the scene where Theo and Kee try to escape to the boat. Using a hand-held camera, Cuaron gives you the feeling you're watching a news report as the scene is revealed in over six minutes with no cut to another camera. For those of us who are movie geeks, this is incredible. You can't help but hold your breath.

 

I could not decide which to review, so why not do both? Both are wonderful stories of love that teach us to live life to it's fullest. Chocolat is a fairytale story of Vianne, a free-spirit who uses her talents as a chocolatier to both please the sweet-tooth and heal the soul. The cast includes stand-out performances by Juliette Binoche, Judy Dench, Lena Olin, and Johnny Depp. I strongly suggest you watch this film with plenty of the named confectionary. Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't.

Cinema Paradiso is a film after my heart. A beautiful story of one man's life and love of movies that grew from his friendship with the projectionist of his small Italian village. Full of laughter, heart-break, and tears, this film never ceases to get me. Especially the wonderful montage of film kisses. I cannot recommend this movie more. 

Over all, this was a difficult letter to choose. I had to pick from not only the previous films, but other such greats as the multi-Oscar winning Chariots Of Fire, Cube (a great Canadian sci-fi film), and Crash, another Oscar winner with an amazing cast. It will be interesting to see if 'D' can produce as many excellent films.

MEMORIES OF BIG JOHN

John came into my life at a typically difficult time. My parents had recently divorced, my sisters (being older) were entering a new, rebellious stage, and I was about to become a teenager. With all that weighing on my mind, in walked this tall man whose presence was anything but overbearing. ‘Big John’ not only described him physically, but in every other way as well. His laugh, his intellect, his heart, everything about him was larger than life. Everything but his ‘intrusion’ into a new family. He subtly and quickly became a very important part of my youth. He loved life and lived it to its fullest extent and that is the best lesson I learned from him.
My memories read like a laundry list of music, fun, and travel.
I can remember going to numerous bluegrass festivals. Initially, I didn’t want to go because I thought it was like country music which was full of tragic love stories and loss. I quickly found that it mirrored John’s upbeat attitude and found myself dancing and singing along with him. We also would go to square dancing nights at People’s Church. A typical teen would have found this uncool; however, I knew that it would be loads of fun.
One of his favorite tv series was M.A.S.H. I can remember a t-shirt he had that quoted Col. Potter: “the general answers his own phone, must be a Unitarian.” In fact, most of my memories of John include him laughing at some point. Watching M.A.S.H.; going to Le Bijou theater downtown and watching Monty Python films; spending hours at the dinner table with his kids sharing jokes. I can still hear that warm, addictive laugh.
My best memories are of the places I went with him. They weren’t far-off journeys to exotic lands, but that wasn’t what mattered. John’s presence was what made things fun. Listening to Harry Chapin on the drive up to the cabin on Lake Michigan; walking down the beach; watching him stoop as he walked through Taliesin East. I wouldn’t have traveled in the VW minibus with anyone else, if for no other reason than it needed an accomplished mechanic. John was great at finding Petoskey stones dry, which is quite a feat.
I will always feel fortunate for the time I spent with him. Our paths may have drifted different ways, but I cherish these memories and always will. He and my mother divorced when I started college, but he has always been and will always be my step-father, my friend:

Big John

B is for quirky, simple and talent

 What can I say? I love classic Hollywood. And Bringing Up Baby starring two of my all-time favorite stars, Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, is a true gem of a movie. A hilarious romp filled with Mr. Grant's great physical comedy, this is Ms. Hepburn's first foray into comedy. Oddly enough, this movie bombed and she was labeled 'box-office poison.' Years later, it is lauded as one of Howard Hawks best and I have to agree. 

 I love this movie. After Dr. Strangelove (which I will be reviewing soon), it is my favorite Peter Sellers film. His portrayal of Chance the gardener shows how truly talented he was as a comedian. Unlike his run as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series that utilized his mastery of pratfalls and a silly accent, this role is the definition of naivete. To call his character simple-minded just doesn't cover it. He's so much more. It's just a sweet, little film.

And if you haven't had enough of sweet films, here's one more for you. Billy Elliot is the wonderful story of a boy who must hide his love of dance from the rest of the world or at least from his mining father. I challenge anyone to watch the opening sequence without a smile. I would recommend that you use the subtitles as the strong northern English accent can be quite difficult to follow. However you watch it, do yourself a favor and do it.

I had a hard time limited this to only three reviews. There are so many great 'b' movies. From A Beautiful Mind, the true story of John Nash, the Nobel prize winning economist who suffered from schizophrenia, to Best In Show, a hilarious mockumentary of the zany antics at a dog show, to Blade Runner, one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. There's something for everyone here.


best in show

blade runner

A is for...

An author friend of mine has been blogging his favorite books for months now. He has been going through the alphabet (obviously beginning with 'a') and nearly reached the halfway mark when it dawned on me that I should do the same with movies. I may even start a book list, too, but for now I'll just do this.

 
 Although the first in a series is typically the best and Alien is great, I loved Aliens just a little more. Perhaps the further character development of Ridley with the addition of a near love interest and a maternal drive is the key. Or maybe it's just because this movie kicks ass in general. Let's face it, how much better can it get when you have space marines, lots of HUGE guns and explosions, and one mutha of an alien all in one film. Ask anyone who's seen the series and I venture most will admit that this one may be slightly better than the first.

Let's face it, it doesn't get much better than Bette Davis in All About Eve. In fact, I can't find one weak part in this movie. Even Marilyn Monroe's brief appearance as a rising starlet is one of her best performances. Every single element (great acting, an amazing script, even the awesome costumes) mixes together to form the best rags to riches story there is. If you're a fan of classic movies and have not seen this gem, you are not a true fan. This film is the perfect example of 'Hollywood' at it's best.

I don't know if I can rave enough about this sweet, simple fairytale story of a young, French woman whose sensitivity and caring touches everyone she meets. Beautifully filmed with a wonderful cast, the movie defines 'feel good films'. I guarantee that if you watch this film you will have a warm, happy feeling in your heart by the closing credits. Audrey Tautou has never been better. Just look at the keywords listed at Netflix:
"feel-good, romantic, quirky, imaginative." Yep, that about covers it.

I could just keep going and add Arsenic And Old Lace (another great classic starring Cary Grant as the naive nephew of two 'sweet' old ladies), Amadeus (the Oscar winning story of the tragic life of one of the greatest composers in history), and About A Boy (a bittersweet story of a young man's attempts to make sense of his mixed up life that is one of my favorite Hugh Grant films). Let's face it, 'a' isn't just a good place to start because it's the beginning of the alphabet. 

One down, 25 more to go. As Margo Channing so perfectly puts it in All About Eve:
"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."

Happy Meals ban in Santa Clara County - latimes.com

Happy Meals ban in Santa Clara County - latimes.com

It seems that Santa Clara county is taking the wrong action in the more important issue of childhood obesity. Although I understand the reason behind the decision-that it seems we're rewarding children for eating food that's high in calories and fat-I don't think fining restaurants that do this is the answer. Perhaps the better move would be to make McDonald's create a healthier menu for both children and adults, whether they get a toy or not. It is no secret that fast food is unhealthy, but I liken this action to a parent punishing a child without expectation of improving the bad behavior. It's been 6 years since Supersize Me and there's been no move whatsoever, by the government or anyone else, to regulate food produced by McD's or all the other fast food restaurants.  I've taken the best action possible by choosing not to eat at most places notorious for their fattening foods. Perhaps a stronger push to educate both parents and children on the dangers of eating unhealthily. How about a tax added to foods that have a high calorie and fat content. 'You want to eat food that's bad for you? You're gonna pay, one way or another.' That may be something the state of California could do to help get this state out of the huge deficit it's in. If nothing else, why not put warning labels on all foods that are high in saturated fats/calories/sodium, etc, stating that consumption of these items can lead to obesity/high blood pressure/heart disease? Hey, it's done with cigarettes.
The fact is this community is punishing the wrong people. Can a franchise owner be held accountable for the policies set up by the corporation that dictates the kind of food they sell? Or should the corporation be made to pay the fines incurred by their franchises because of their insistence on providing food that's bad for their consumers. I don't disagree with this community's concerns. I just don't think these actions will do anything in the long term to create healthier children. 

WHAT A LOVELY DEPARTURE

A SCENE FROM DEPARTURES.

I can't remember the last time I watched such a perfect mix of humor, tenderness, and mournfulness blended with an absolutely wonderful cast, beautiful cinematography, and music. With a simple click above, you are given just a brief introduction into the lives of Daigo and Daigo's new boss, Ikuei Sasaki. A tender-hearted wife, a quirky and sometimes tragically sad co-worker, and the numerous families Daigo aids complete this wonderful, much-deserved Oscar winner. I can't think of one weakness in this film. Masahiro Motoki creates a character who is equal parts somber, naive, and sweet. That's right. Sweet. He has just about the nicest face I've seen around. I don't know that I would want to see him in anything where he were cast as anything else. The viewer is quickly embraced by the odd journey Daigo sets out on.
I remember seeing the preview and waiting anxiously for it to come to my local theater. It would have been one of the rare instances where I got watch one of the nominated foreign films before the Oscars aired. For whatever reason, I missed it in the theater and then quickly added it to my Netflix queue. With well over 200 titles on that list, it was soon forgotten. I recently went home to Michigan and my mother asked if I wanted to watch it with her. She had raved to me about it which meant there was no hesitation in my answer. I'm so glad I was able to share yet another in a long line of great films with her.
I could continue, but I don't think you should wait any longer. Quick, queue it now or, if you have a spare 2 hours and the ability to do so, watch it instantly at netflix. I'll say it now, "your welcome".