Guess what? It’s special treat day! Movie review marathons are almost as good as movie marathons, right? I had a great evening watching Milk and eating cookies that I snuck into the theater, so I thought I’d share. (The Milk varicies and plavix waiting dvdrip

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, that is. The cookies are all gone, I’m afraid.) Upon request, I’m also writing a couple quick other reviews.

Movie #1


Milk

So there’s been a lot of buzz around biopic Milk

recently, not least of all because the events relayed in the film parallels the events occurring in California just a few weeks before this movie’s release. But unlike recent events, where California voters passed an amendment to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry, the starring proposition of Milk was roundly defeated. The uplifting spirit of this movie should have been moving, but somehow wasn’t.

I can’t say that Sean Penn didn’t do a great job in the title role, as the first openly gay man elected to US public office. In fact, he was quite fantastic. The story itself is a sweet tale of the underdog overcoming great odds to accomplish something that improved the lives of the persecuted minority. It seemed like all the pieces should be there to make this film great, but maybe I just expected a little bit more, and I left mildly disappointed.

My biggest complaint is that while watching the film, I felt incredibly removed from the characters and the story. In fact, when Harvey Milk is assassinated at the end, I really felt no shock, no sorrow, no… anything. That really shouldn’t happen. Ok, so perhaps director Gus Van Sant purposely wanted to end on a happy and hopeful note, so he necessarily needed to make his protagonist’s death less traumatic for the audience, but I still don’t feel like that’s natural. The audience should have been bonding with these characters for 120 minutes, and should feel something. And I can’t really blame Sean Penn either, as I couldn’t feel anything towards any of the other characters either, save perhaps for James Franco’s Scott Smith character. But, I have to admit, James Franco makes a very charming gay man. Rather adorable, actually.

Movie #2

The Visitor The Octagon full movie

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Now, while Milk is racking up the box office receipts (the 8 o’clock showing was sold out!), The Visitor will probably remain a little-watched film despite Richard Jenkins’ wonderful performance. In fact, I’m starting to think that MX and I are the only people who watched this movie. I actually saw this way back when, before I even knew there was a fuss, but this is really a little gem of a picture. Telling the story of the emotionally-numb professor who goes to New York City to present at a conference, only to discover two undocumented immigrants living in his apartment, the film touches on important issues in a completely unpretentious and unassuming way.

Mr Jenkins’ scenes with Hiam Abbass, who plays his houseguest’s mother, are especially touching. The film is quiet and understated, but somehow really makes an impact. The story itself is rather raw, and makes no effort tie up all the ends neatly in a Hollywood ending. But the audience is prepared for this, and understands that in the end, this film is a portrait of reality.

Movie #3

Meet Bill

Lastly, someone wanted to know about Meet Bill, which at its essence is a story about suburban frustration. Aaron Eckhart plays a man who feels grossly unsatisfied with his life. Married to his boss’s daughter, who cheats on him with the local news guy, and feeling like his life is going nowhere, Bill is made out to be the everyman. He manages to get suckered into mentoring a boy from the local high school, and hilarious antics ensue.

First, I ought to tell you the good thing about Meet Bill, and that is the presence of Mr. Eckhart (who played The Dark Knight’s Two-Face). I’m not entirely sure why I like him so much, since he’s made his share of questionable-quality films (think No Reservations

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… *shudder*), but I have two theories. Either it’s because the chin-dimple is very endearing, or it’s because of the goodwill from the 2006 classic Thank You For Smoking

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. Regardless, I would say that he is probably the best part about this movie. Because the rest of the package is just strange.

The storyline is a bit of a mess. I think this is also supposed to be a tale about breaking free of one’s mundane life in pursuit of some greater happiness, but many things just don’t seem to work. His directionless fumblings with his teenaged sidekick don’t seem to add much to the picture, unless it was intended to show that by hanging out with his “mentee,” he found himself…. which I don’t think happened at all. The movie does display some truths though, mainly that some men will always be a 16-year-old pothead on the inside.

In short: Milk tells a hopeful tale that allows us to be optimistic that the world won’t forever be a divisive place, and that through education and outreach, we can become a more tolerant society. It’s just too bad that the audience never feels quite connected with the film’s characters. The Visitor is an understated film that makes an impact. Its commentary about the arbitrary nature of immigrations law specifically and law enforcement in general kept me thinking for days afterwards. And Meet Bill… Best for those who are only in it for the pretty faces, because I don’t know that it has much else to offer. Yes, that includes Jessica Alba and Elizabeth Banks.

That’s all for now, folks. Have a great weekend!

So, I owe everyone more movie reviews, and you might even get to choose which one I write tomorrow. But I’m getting really sleepy, so it’s quote time.

Well, I read about the difficulties in Iceland with the collapse of the government, never mind their now non-existent banking sector. So I asked my Icelandic friend what was going on. He had this to say.

Me: so what’s happening in Iceland?
Him: what’s not happening in Iceland?
everything collapsing, government resigning
prime minister got cancer, foreign minister got brain tumor
It’s Murphy’s law. Everything that can go wrong will go wrong.

On that uplifting note, which movie would you like me to review? Your choices are The Visitor, starring Richard Jenkins (who is nominated for an Oscar this year! ) or Meet Bill, starring Aaron Eckhart. Please leave a comment, and I’ll be back tomorrow to write it.

Suddenly, at about 11:30 pm last night, my Internet connection started acting strangely. I couldn’t access my email, I couldn’t log onto MSN, but I didn’t pay much attention as I was too busy focused on something else at the time. Then, an hour later, when I discovered that I couldn’t access the google homepage, I was mildly concerned. When I restarted, I found out what the problem was. NBC had caught me, or rather someone with access to my ethernet jack (probably via my wifi, sigh), illegally downloading their materials.

But seriously, who do these guys think I am? I mean, why would I ever illegally download their material when I could just watch it on Hulu for free? Everyone knows it’s only worthwhile to illegally download movies that aren’t available at Amazon Video On Demand.

Now since I’ve been spending all this week celebrating Hollywood’s great abilities to churn out depressing movies just as the season gets cold and dreary, I would like to present my loyal readers with a slight history lesson. You see, in the late 19th century, and the early years of the 20th century, American cinema was still based in the population-heavy Eastern corridor. But by 1908, the Edison Cartel (organized by the beloved J.P. Morgan) attempted to monopolize the industry by pooling the patents of the top technologists at that time, and only did business with distributors who paid high royalties and theaters which charged high prices.

Shortly thereafter, in 1910, what would become our modern day film studios moved operations to the other side of the continent and settled in Hollywood. Now, the official reason for the said moves always mentioned the beautiful weather in Southern California, which allowed crews to film year-round. But another motivation is said to be the convenient fact that California was about 2,500 miles away from J.P. Morgan’s intellectual property lawyers.

As my kind professor said:

These companies were basically a bunch of pirates who went to a far away land where they wouldn’t be caught. Now, of course, they have become legitimate and they have turned to hate pirates themselves.

Movie #1:

Slumdog Millionaire

Movie #2:

Gran Torino

I watched these two a long time ago, when they were first out on limited release, but in case you haven’t figured this out yet, if you want to watch something moderately non-depressing that doesn’t involve a Mall Cop, then these are your only choices. *sigh* If you’re like my friend, you’d rather watch Gran Torino repeatedly than have to succumb to Mall Cop. Actually, that’s probably a wise choice.

Slumdog Millionaire is really the little movie that could. It tells the rags to riches story of a slum-born boy who grows up (relatively speaking, since I’m not quite convinced that Dev Patel is finished growing) to be a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the Indian version. This film is colorful and exciting, and tells a classic tale that is timeless. The scenes with the characters as children are touching, and perhaps best of all, it has a happy ending!

All right, I know that I shouldn’t be here giving away the ending, but everyone knows how much I love happy endings. And be honest with me, putting aside all snobbishness about appreciating “complex art,” who doesn’t love a happy ending? I know, sometimes it can get cliched, but especially in this economic climate, who doesn’t want to engage in a little extra escapism? The real world is “complex” enough as it is. Sometimes, I’m ok with my cinematic experience being simple. Plus, there’s the babe factor, or as a dear friend said about Freida Pinto,

Her: She is pretty hot

Also, I would like to add that I saw A. O. Scott dismissing this movie on Charlie Rose, which reminded me yet again that he and I must be yin and yang, who disagree on all aspects of film appreciation, except that Wall-E was the most profound movie of the year. (By the way, he also hated The Reader, which I loved. So the pattern holds!)

Gran Torino might be the second most uplifting movie this season. I know, it’s depressing in itself. Or, as I mentioned earlier,

me: a grumpy Clint Eastwood is about as uplifting as it gets if you’re not watching Slumdog

The tale about the interactions between an old Korean War Vet’s and his Hmong neighbors really seems like a story that’s certainly due to be told. As immigration reaches ever further into the Heartland of America, social strife unfortunately seems to follow, and the topics Clint Eastwood highlights with his film are important for much of the country to hear. In what is likely his last on screen role, Mr Eastwood portrays that cranky grandpa character that’s simultaneously endearing and intolerable. The audience is put in this position of wanting to give him a much-needed hug, but never stepping up to the plate for fear that he’d quickly put a bullet in your well-intentioned skull.

By the time you truly see the conflict of the story, the ending is already clear as day, and some might find that a fault. But truthfully, I don’t really mind when things happen as expected. As much as I love those occasionally twists and turns, I don’t need every ending to be a surprising ending. And just because the bittersweet finale was a bit of a foregone conclusion doesn’t make the film any less relevant or any less satisfying.

The quick take? Slumdog Millionaire: a story based on a classic formulation of poor kid done good that’s as engaging today as it would have been 200 years ago. This movie will probably also win a bunch of Oscars, because everybody loves the under(slum)dog. Gran Torino: a touching story about how an old, white, racist man that even his sons don’t know how to love manages to connect with the Hmong teenagers next door.

Hope you’re enjoying the reviews. More to come later this week…. probably.

Another Depressing Movie:

The Good Shepherd

Firstly, I would like to mention that I’ve found something wonderful. Amazon Video On Demand, starting from 99¢! I couldn’t believe it, maybe because I’m getting old and not with it or something, but I really had no idea. And this is wonderful. I mean, who wants to go out and physically rent a DVD in this weather anyway? And since I watch a lot of my movies on my laptop anyway, I might as well, right?

All right, on to the real work of the day. I watched yet another movie to promote the winter blues, The Good Shepherd. Now, I know this movie has an all-star cast (including top-billed Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie), but I was prepared for this to be a movie that made you feel worse about life. And to that end, it did not disappoint. The film basically follows the sad life of Edward Wilson as he slowly makes his way from idealistic college student to an over-cautious, perpetually sleep-deprived CIA agent who sells his soul for “the good of America.”

I know there are a lot of people who enjoy these intense mystery/thriller type movies, but I had a huge problem following the story since all the WASPy guys in drab-colored suits and bowler hats looked the same to me. When you can’t tell any of the many male characters apart (aside from Matt Damon, whose dumb expression always manages to make him stand out), it’s a bit of a problem. My friend had a huge issue with the jumps back and forth in chronology, but I just couldn’t focus. I was too busy being annoyed by the Matt Damon character’s useless son. Also, I had a really difficult time believing the aging of the characters from 20 to nearly 50 since they looked remarkably the same.

The family dynamics examined were more interesting, as we were reminded of why shot-gun marriages due to pregnancy are not always such a great thing. (I wonder how Sarah Palin’s daughter is doing….) In perhaps the most powerful moment of the entire film, Angelina Jolie’s Clover tells Edward to look out for their son out of fatherly love. “Of course I love him,” the angry Edward says to his wife, “I married you for him!” Ouch.

The quick take on The Good Shepherd: Good for those who like their films suspenseful, and probably best enjoyed when one’s mind is completely awake and aware. It’s also a good opportunity to spend 2 hours trying to remember what exactly it was that your high school history teacher taught you about the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion.

Recently seen:

Depressing Movie #1

The Duchess

Depressing Movie #2

The Reader

I’m not really sure why I wanted to watch these, unless I am secretly masochistic or something. There are many differences between the movies, I guess, but as my lovely twin would describe it, one is happy and one is sad. Well… relatively speaking.

Her: Do you want happy or sad?
me: um… are either of them happy?
Her: Well, I’m guessing a failed relationship is happier than a failed relationship and Nazis

And this proved to be both true and untrue. Firstly, although Ralph Fiennes was in both movies, the other cast members were, of course, quite different. I usually find Keira Knightley, who plays the title role in the first movie of our double feature, quite charming. However, with all the costumes and makeup that gave The Duchess its feeling of grandeur, I kept getting distracted by the image of the normally beautiful Ms Knightley looking aged well beyond her years, and not because she was supposed to be aging either. (They didn’t actually feel the need to age her during the 10+ years in the story, but that’s the least of this film’s problems.)

And I suppose the fact that the story was based upon the real life of Georgiana Spencer Cavendish should make it interesting, but it doesn’t really work somehow. Not even for me, great lover of costume dramas and period pieces. So the trailer makes a big deal about her wish to be free, and you implicitly understand how she is bound to her obligations, but nowhere in the film does she really appear to be striving for her freedom. And then, the ending was so grossly unsatisfying, I had to watch another movie just to get over it. It’s almost as if whoever was in the editing room suddenly decided the film was getting too long and just cut randomly and added some epilogue. Did I mention how epilogues are a lazy method of storytelling?

The costumes and scenery are, however, absolutely beautiful. It makes you wish you could have lived the life of a landed English aristocrat in the 18th century. Maybe if we could just put the entire movie up as a screensaver on our computers, we could have a better experience with this film.

The Reader, on the other hand, sort of has an appealing story, in a way, if you don’t mind feeling massively depressed. I do think it is important to tell the story of Germany’s collective guilt as a nation after WWII. But, I said it once, and I won’t hesitate to say it again. (From the same conversation:)

me: Kate Winslet must really want an Oscar to be so down with both pedophilia and Nazis.

But seriously, doesn’t it just smell of Awards Season Bait? I think the acting is fine, and rather inspired, and throughout the film, I felt like I could really relate to the characters being portrayed. The Ralph-Fiennes-does-not-age-for-15-years problem aside, both his coldness and his emotional outbursts are very believable. Young David Kross is so incredibly believable, sometimes it’s painful to watch.

Of course, then there’s lovely Kate. And she is lovely, even when they age her up a bit. But why, why, why must they make her have that horrible fake German accent? Does this somehow help disguise the fact that much of the young cast is actually German? Seriously, it’s weird. Plus, how is this a Supporting Actress role, dear Golden Globe voters? The only person who is actually in the entirety of the movie is a supporting character? At least the Oscar voters didn’t buy into that, bless them.

Anyway, this movie somehow actually ended up being less depressing, despite the additional Nazi element. Go figure. The hopeful, uplifting tone rang quite true to my ears. Some might complain that for such a complicated subject matter, the entire presentation is too slick, but I thought the beauty of the film was not at all to its detriment.

So in summary, The Duchess: Pretty, and pretty depressing. Kiera and Ralph are great, but I didn’t care much for the story. Maybe I’ll try it again when I’m in a better mood to see if it’s more appealing then. The Reader: Excellent acting all around and painfully believable at times. A very poignant tale that you might find yourself unexpectedly relating to.

To complete my Ralph Fiennes-athon, I guess the next on my list ought to be In Bruges, as per someone’s suggestion. But I’m not yet 100% convinced.

Her: Try In Bruges
me: is it good?
Her: If you like Colin Farrell
me: what are you trying to say about me?

Or I could go with numerous other movies on the to-watch list, such as these movies that I already have, but have yet to watch:

• The White Countess
• The Constant Gardener
• The English Patient

A depressing-ness rating for these films would be much appreciated.

Recent Purchases:

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Hello, hello, and welcome back. I’m back in New York, where the weather here currently a balmy -4° C. I’ve been shivering all weekend, but no matter. I still have yet to find a electric blanket in the city, but I think I might be able make do when my ducky hot water bottle arrives.

What I’m really worried about is whether there’s been an increase in crime in this city. Listen to this story of my friend, whose car was stolen recently. The police found it after several days, but it wasn’t quite in mint condition anymore.

J: I asked the cop whether it’s fixable
J: and he started manically laughing
J: he’s like, “there’s no inside, no outside”

By the way, I thought about getting the matching Plush Red Devil hot water bottle, but it reminded me a bit too much of someone I know, who I’d most certainly rather not be cuddling up with! If you want to posit a guess as to the identity of this individual, please comment below.

I went to the dentist today, where the doctors were able to take x-rays without asking if I was pregnant first. Not that I look any more or less pregnant than I do when I take an x-ray in NY, but apparently they need only to briefly inquire about my health before taking the snapshot.

Thinking about my visits to the dentist reminds me of one of my favorite things about China. “Darlie” brand toothpaste. The Chinese name literally means “Black Person Toothpaste.” Yes, back in the day, before Photoshop taught us all about color contrast, Chinese people thought that black people had especially white teeth. So, they branded a toothpaste “Darkie.” Then, they figured out that this wasn’t such a great term, so it had to be renamed Darlie. But whenever I see it down the aisle of the grocery store, I can barely contain my chuckles.

Apparently, this brand still sells quite well, although I’ve never tried it myself. I tend to gravitate more towards the Whitestrips and GoSmile goodies to prevent completely yellowed teeth. I figured it would be easier than pulling a full Kirk Lazarus.